welcome back

We're back after a short hiatus!  The annual volume plans will be emailed to everyone this week along with instructions/information.  The first week on the new schedules will start next Sunday, though most of you probably have already started back running.  If you've already started back, keep this week light and pretty short.  The spreadsheet will look a little different, with color-coded phases that will reflect what we actual do. Don't hesitate to contact your coaches if you have any questions! Lastly, just read a short training tips article, take the time to read....

Run, Eat, Sleep, Repeat. -Katie McGee The body likes routine. Many runners are mystified when their workouts are going poorly because they don't respect the stress/rest cycle. Training stress and life stress are not separate from one another, rather they compound. It becomes impossible to handle heavy training in times of high stress, and it becomes impossible to manage life stress when over training. Many times athletes will get down after a bad workout and report, "I haven't been mentally tough lately," or, "I am totally out of shape." When pressed, they will begrudgingly admit to some "minor" life stress or change in their routines that could be to blame. Some "minor" concerns recently reported by some of my athletes included: moving across the country, getting married, changing jobs, and traveling to three different countries for work in a week. My response to these disparaging remarks about a workout gone badly is usually a gentle reminder that the body likes routine, and when the routine is disrupted training often suffers. A lot of people work under the assumption that elite athletes are more talented and train harder than the rest of us and that is what makes them elite. Although these are factors in their successes, I believe that the biggest advantage that many elite athletes have is their lifestyle. I have had fits and spurts of time when I was able to live like an elite athlete, and I'll admit that running over 100 miles a week, if that's all you have to do, is much easier than working full time, having a family, and not being on a consistent schedule where you can control the many variables in your life that affect training.

So what's the solution? Be mindful of the amount of stress that you are under and take it into account when you head out for a run. Also, if you can possibly take time to get an extra half hour of sleep at night, can take ten minutes to do some deep breathing to reduce stress during the day, or have two extra minutes to pack your recovery snack or drink for post-run, you will see a big difference in your training and racing performances.