Gimme a break, gimme a break ...

It's been some kind of a year!

2019 has been my self-appointed 'year of ultra', with a focus on taking on almost exclusively (trail) ultra races and culminating in my first attempt at a 100-miler.  After a fairly strenuous endeavour such as that it only makes sense to take a significant break to allow the body to recover.

At least that's what anyone in their right mind would do.  But me?  Oh no.

I went ahead and served as one of the official pacers for The County Marathon (for the sixth year in a row), and then two weeks after that accepted an invitation from my good friend Holly to serve as her unofficial pacer at the Scotiabank Toronto Waterfront Marathon.  So within the span of about six weeks I'd put in about 245 kilometres of racing (on top of the regular workouts that led up to both of the marathons).  I wouldn't recommend that to anyone ... but I'm probably one of my own worst students.

After working with Holly to help her attain a new personal best (and another Boston Qualifying time) I knew that I wanted to take some time off.  Somewhat arbitrarily I decided that it would be three weeks of complete inactivity, at least from a running/exercise perspective.  And boy did my body need it.

Although I went just about stir crazy after a measly three days of not running, my knee, both feet and shoulders (oddly enough) were providing ample feedback to let me know that I should have taken time off sooner.  And I don't mean a few weeks sooner, but probably something more like a few years sooner - because this three-week hiatus would turn out to be the longest time without lacing up the running shoes in about nine years.

108 months.  Or 469 weeks.  Or 14265 days.

Oh I'd taken a week off here and there.  Just nothing that really resembled a true off-season ... you know, the kind that even professional distance runners know that they are wise to take.  If I'm going to be honest I think that the rationale behind this relentless drive to run was probably threefold in origin:

1. An addiction to running
2. Negative body self-image
3. FOMO (fear of missing out) ... or maybe better yet FONBPAHCE (fear of not being perceived as hard-core enough).

As you can tell none of the three reasons above is a healthy motive to keep pressing forward.  You might also have guessed that stopping my running routine actually wound up exacerbating all of these issues - to the extent that I basically had to go radio-silent on running-related social media channels to avoid feeling worse about myself while witnessing everyone else's outings and achievements.  I also tucked the scale away underneath the bathroom counter so that it was basically inaccessible, as well as 'resigning' myself to eating guilt-free to try to undo some of the negative thoughts I had about weight loss equaling athletic prowess**.

My friend David got it right ... I totally felt like 'fat Thor'

The honest truth is that it was really difficult to take that break - more difficult than if I had continued to run regularly, although that would have almost certainly have put me on the shelf with an injury of some variety.  I had difficulty sleeping (because I wasn't nearly as tired each night), I couldn't sleep in (as my body had been long-accustomed to waking routinely just before 5 a.m.) and I felt like someone had jumbled my schedule each day because it didn't start off with a run.  Still, rest is a necessary act of discipline and I had to work at taking some rest. 

Moment by moment, day by day I stayed the course.  I made it to three weeks of inactivity.

So now what?

I decided that next year I want to take another stab at the marathon, but I'm going to finally give a go at (low) heart-rate based training.  I'd come across Floris Gierman on YouTube several years back and was astounded that he could run a sub-3 marathon while simultaneously vlogging it - and he attributed a great deal of his success to following the philosophy/methodology of Phil Maffetone and focusing in on aerobic system development.  Floris now leads up the Extramilest network (including coaching and a podcast) and has become an influencer in the online running community.  As a tinkerer I saw low heart-rate training as a way to ease back into an exercise schedule, and quite possibly a path towards finally getting my own sub-3 marathon PB.

I haven't yet picked a spring goal race, but I do have a trip to Burlington for the Chilly-Half Marathon booked again for 2020 - so that may be my first real test to see if I'm actually getting anywhere or just stuck on the dreadmill of self-sabotage.

However it goes, I'm happy to be back at it again!

- - - - - -  

** If you have also struggled with the whole 'weigh less, run faster' mentality then I might recommend at least giving a quick watch of this video from former NCAA D1 cross-country runner Emma Abrahamson ...

Gimme a break, gimme a break ...

Now the winter of my discontent ... is over

It has finally arrived.

No, not Cyber Monday. 

The conclusion of my three-week off-season from running.

This will have been the longest stretch of 'no exercise' since I started running seriously in mid-2010.  I've tried to schedule in some breaks over the past few years (and usually at this point on the calendar) but I've always cut it short, usually because I've felt like I didn't want to lose the physiological gains that had come through training all year round.

Really I've just guilted myself into prematurely launching myself back into the training cycle.

Well this time around I've been good.  Sort of.

Here are a few quick observations after having taken this time away from running:

1. It wasn't a full three week break - inasmuch as I was able to take an extended time of rest, I did sneak in an easy 4k run with my wife the week after the Hamilton Marathon ... so if you count that then I only got in 2-1/2 weeks of inactivity.
2. I enjoyed (sort of) sleeping in - my normal wake-up time on training days is around 5:15am and through these past few weeks I stretched that out to 6:15am.  My body really doesn't like flip-flopping in bed after more than 8 hours of sleep, and our second daughter likes to do this 'deep breathing' exercise at around 6:30am in our bed with my wife (meaning that I had to clear out of the way).
3. Oh yes, there were donuts - this is my promised reward/indulgence after big races and I always look forward to snacking out on a good Boston Creme.  Even though I visualize myself downing extravagant numbers of deep-fried goodness I wound up only eating the equivalent of three (averaged one each week), and had just a few extra snacks here and there.  Honestly my body didn't go into any kind of let-loose craving mode, so even though I eyed plenty of chocolate and candied treats I don't think that I ended up eating much more than I might normally would have during any given training week.
4. My weight did climb - and how do I know that?  Because I couldn't stop looking at the scale.  A definite weakness on my part; I weighed in every morning and evening, and watched the numbers climb to a maximum of about 8lbs over my 'training/racing weight'.  I would look in utter dismay at my reflection in the mirror as I saw myself (or at least my impression of myself) ballooning up in size ... this could very well be a borderline disorder for me, and I'm sure that it hearkens back to when I was a rotund, unathletic little fellow in my grade school days.
5. The knee pain subsided to a degree - I continue to wonder what kind of damage I might have done to the surrounding ligaments on the lateral side of my right knee.  Even with rest I found that my knee would provide ample feedback when it was fully extended and my quads were flexed.  It could be that my IT band simply remains tight and that I need to ask Santa for a foam roller this Christmas, or I did more of a number on it than I might have at first surmised.  So I'll be hitting the roads again tomorrow still not at 100%, but I think that if I don't get out there again my mental state will be more of a liability than my body.
6. I missed seeing my friends - yes, this introverted runner did miss getting out twice a week with the ever-lovin' RunNinjas, as well as cruising around on Friday mornings with my buddy Steve. 
7. My attention never really turned away from running - every day I took opportunities to watch running videos, to study the technique and form of some of my favourite distance runners (e.g. Ryan Hall, Yuki Kawauchi, Mo Farah), and read my daily digest of running blogs.

So there it is, in all of its stark reality and ugliness. 

Have you ever struggled to take time off from your favourite activity?  Do you have any tips to share to help me make the most of it the next around?  I'd love to receive your advice, wisdom and feedback - thanks for tracking with me!

Now the winter of my discontent ... is over

why you (and i) need a real off-season

this has been a banner running year in so many ways.

BQ.  

first ultramarathon (56k).

first trail race.

first time guide-running.

first official pacing duties.

first adventure race.

most distance logged in a calendar year (4385km YTD).

and now, it's time for a rest.

if you're at all the kind of runner that i am, then you know how much easier-said-than-done this is.  one of the strengths of my training cycle has been just how disciplined i've become at getting out the door six days a week.  rain or shine, wind or hail, polar vortex or humidex alert.  it has been as natural for me to complete a daily (or two-a-day) run as it has been to eat dinner.  if anything i've only taken a pass twice all year long on my scheduled runs - both of them occurring within the past five weeks on account of knee pain (and quite possibly an indicator of overtraining).

and yet for having achieved this series of accomplishments for 2014, you'd think i'd be more than ready for a break.  you'd be wrong.

however, knowing that even the very best, most dedicated athletes in the world take a block of time away from their sport as an important component to their training was incentive enough for me to at least consider it.

as best as i understand it, the following are the benefits to a true multi-week break/off-season from running:

1. physical rest - this sounds blatantly redundant, but the fact is that a year's worth of running and racing takes a cumulative toll on the body in the same way that that cumulative miles actually develop your running form and lead to physiological adaptations.
2. mental rest - my friend jim has repeatedly said that running is 90% mental and the other 10% is in your head.  if that is the case, then your brain needs as much of a respite as any other part of your body.  all of that focus, that rugged determination, that visualization needs to take a pause and recharge so that when you need it it's still there, not worn out and fuzzy.
3. treat yourself - maybe this is the time to sneak in a few of those delectable goodies that you diligently said 'no' to during your training cycle or perhaps to the occasional less-than-ideal runner's meal.  although we make sacrifices to train that doesn't mean that the remainder of your life has to become this relentless penalty box session.  you might also take the time to sleep in some more and find out what it's like to not constantly feel fatigued.
4. take inventory and set new goals - this is a great time to step back and look at all that you've accomplished, regardless of whether or not you hit the mark on each and every race target.  and given that absence makes the heart grow fonder, each and every day of non-running will bring you closer to that place where you are absolutely itching to hit the road or trails again.
5. re-tool - if you're a triathlete, adventure racer or obstacle race competitor then you probably already spend time cross-training.  for running-specific people like me this is a time to check out other exercise disciplines, or hone in on some strength-building work.  if you're a reader, you can use this time to educate yourself on some of the technique and finesse points of becoming a more finely tuned machine - i recommend steve magness' the science of running and pete magill's (with thomas schwartz and melissa breyer) build your running body.

convinced?  i admit that this is just as much of a chore and a discipline to stay out of my running shoes as it is to lace them up on bone-chilling blustery pre-dawn winter mornings ... but i believe that this is also the smartest move and well worth the investment of two or three weeks for my upcoming race year.

what's your take on an 'off-season'?  how do you rejuvenate your running?  i'd love to learn from your insights and experiences ... please leave a comment and tell your story!

why you (and i) need a real off-season

pack mentality

off-season is a great time to make some changes ... or so i've heard. 

i'm trying to maintain a base until mid-january of about 50-60km per week, with a view to ramping up my next marathon training schedule to peak in and around 110-120km. in some conversation with my pal stan i've come to believe that i'm one of those runners who is better suited to more mileage in preparation for races.  i've managed to run injury-free for about 3-1/2 years now, topping out at about 3700km (projected) this calendar year.  hopefully the winter conditions in south-central ontario this season won't be too daunting as i press on through the holidays.

one of the things that i've started doing in the last few weeks is running with a group.  as a noted introvert, i've mostly enjoyed solo runs - and when i run with a partner it's usually been as a deliberate means of keeping my pace easy (often with mike) or up (often with trevor) - i've written about this already in a post earlier this spring.  but the barrie roadrunners are the local running club and their outings coincide with the running room's free training runs, so i thought that it would be a good opportunity to connect with others in the local running community and try to unlock the secret that the east african runners have known for a long time.    

it's only been a couple of runs with the group so far, but i've already got a few observations to share:

1. it's providing me with the experience of running at a different time of the day.  normally i wake up around 5:30am to go out for my run (no matter the time of the year), but this group sets out at 6:30pm - so my biorhythms are completely different, my energy level is different, and i have to be a little more aware of how i'm fuelling throughout the day.  i can't say that i'll convert to nighttime running, but it's a welcome variation in the schedule.
2. in-run conversations have offered some interesting personalities and running tips.  while i've already been identified as the 'chatty-cathy' new guy, it's been great how personable and generous the other runners have been with their stories and advice.  already i've met someone from my hometown who's migrated here to barrie, as well as a veteran ultramarathoner who has shared insights and training tips as i plan for my first trail ultra next summer.
3. there's no way that i would be working this hard right now without them.  the last two runs have been tempo runs with the group, and while i probably fall smack dab in the middle of the bunch in terms of age, they're hoofing it at a really solid pace.  it's been a great way to maintain decent stride form during this off-season while reminding myself that i'm not losing too much of an edge from my racing speed.

are you a pack runner?  what recommendations do you have for me to help me get the most out of (and contribute the most back into) this running group?

pack mentality

no rest for the wicked

by way of confession i will humbly admit that i am addicted to training.

not running ... training.

my pal trevor posted this on facebook just this past weekend:

a little over a week out from my second marathon in two months and i'm itching to get back on the horse.  i've told my friends that i still am trying to become that person who 'enjoys' running - really what draws me out to the roads time and again is a (un?)healthy fixation on claiming a PB or BQ time.

however, i'm trying to pan out my perspective a bit and look at my running career rather than just any given running season.  as i do so i'm paying more and more attention to the importance of taking time off, gaining weight, and losing some fitness - all as acceptable pieces of building myself into a stronger, faster and more durable runner.  

it's motivating to me that even the most elite of elite runners will take a number of weeks completely off from running after wrapping up their race seasons.  i also read a great article from greg mcmillan last week subtitled "The lost art of recovering between training cycles", and it in he includes a bar graph showing his training weeks around a marathon:

and i asked myself, "could i lie low like that?"  do i have that degree of courage/wisdom/focus?

the jury is still deliberating that one ...

in the meantime, i've taken up reading matt fitzgerald's book RUN: The Mind-Body Method of Running by Feel on a recommendation from stan.  i'm only about a third of the way through it, but it's quite an engaging read so far.  it purports not to be a 'here's-your-to-the-letter-training-plan' kind of text but rather an exploration of some key factors that leverage each runner's unique ability to maximize potential - including how much fun you're having, gauging your own optimal mileage, and variations in stride mechanics (have you seen world marathon majors champion priscah jeptoo run?).

my hope is that perhaps as i reflect on fitzgerald's musings that i may find myself less of a slave to the training routine and more of a lover of the beautiful activity of running.  to do so i'll need to heed lewis' advice of ditching the garmin for a while (isn't it surgically attached to my wrist?) and try greg mcmillan's idea of cultivating an inner gps.

for now, my (best-laid) plan is to let november be november and settle in for some rest time.  as hard as that will be.

(he says as he completes this post just after a run)

no rest for the wicked