Tweaks & Keeps

This winter/spring training cycle was the most successful of my running career. I managed to stay injury free with only a couple short-lived niggles here and there. I prioritized rest and recovery, and I backed off training when I was under a lot of stress at work. And what do ya know . . . I PRed in the 5K, 10 mile, 15K, and in two half marathons and placed higher than ever before in my age group in a bunch of races.

It’s like I actually learned lessons. From my prior experiences!

But there are always more lessons to learn. So here’s how I plan to tweak my training for my next race – which is . . . drumroll . . . America’s Finest City* Half Marathon on August 17.

*In case you didn’t know, America’s Finest City is San Diego. 

Tweaks

1. Longer long runs. 

2. Longer tempo runs.

3. Or possibly combine long and tempo runs. 

4. Make easy runs a wee bit longer.

After running steady in the 30-40 mile range, I am ready for a little more mileage. And I think with these tweaks I won't run out of gas again, like I did in the final miles of the SD RnR Half. But a lot went right last time around, so I want to keep on doing some of the same going forward.

Keeps

1. Weight training (legs). Need strong legs to power down the hills at the beginning of the AFC course.

2. Yoga, stretching, foam rolling. Duh! 

3. Prioritize rest and recovery. Commit to back off as needed and during times of high stress.

4. Keep mileage bumps ups reasonable.

5. Run a few races as break through workouts / tough tempo efforts.

6. Keep the pressure off myself. I need to stay patient and not get greedy with the number of seconds I want to shave off the PR.

One more new thing this training cycle. I joined San Diego Track Club and am training 2 days a week with the group. I think I ran alone every single run in 2014 until recently, so it's been fun to make some new connections with some local runners!

Two Little Runners

Kristen