Last season went well, but this season needs to be better. What have I changed this fall compared to last fall?
I feel that last season was the first that I really put in solid mileage training in the fall. I had (only) a couple weeks that grazed the 100 mile mark, and in general my volume was consistently higher than previous years. Last fall I invested in a Garmin (after a failed attempt at using the Nike Sportband...), and I found my "accountability" on runs went up. A lot. Sad to say, but in the beginning half of last fall my aim was to get my longer runs down to 4min/km average; however I did progress to closer to 3:40min/km (aka. 6min/mile pace) towards the end of 2010. My tempo workouts were for that time very good. When I finally stepped on the track in the new year, my 5km workouts were significantly better than the previous year due to my improved aerobic fitness.
This fall I've tried to push my limits slightly in the mileage. I've already had multiple 100+ miles weeks, and will try to put in one or two more before the end of 2011. In my day-to-day training, there's generally a longer run/workout and a shorter run. When I looked at my training logs for areas that could be improved, one glaringly obvious spot was the pace of my shorter runs; while my longer runs are consistently around 3:40min/km pace, my shorter runs are quite slow. That's something I would attribute partly to my fitness; in the past, if I were to push both runs in the day my body would likely fall to pieces. For my harder training weeks I now keep both my longer and shorter runs honest, and the result has been much improved aerobic ability. I've also added five minutes in length to each of my runs in the cycle, which was what allowed me to reach 118 miles at the end of my last volume week. Two major changes this fall: increased pace and added length. Added to more and better quality running, I've been doing a greater amount of core exercises during the week; something I tend to neglect.
Alongside training, I've been giving extra focus to the time spent not training: my recovery. I try to devote at least a bit of time every day to stretching, rolling (on a roller or with the stick), or other self-treatment techniques. The extra time spent on self-treatment, though a very minimal part of my day, keeps my body in good working order from run to run. For the first time ever I've been getting weekly massage, and it's made a noticeable difference in my recovery throughout a training cycle. Lastly, my diet is better. That's not to say it was bad before, but it's better now; I'm not as frugal with the groceries I buy this season. I ask myself, "what do I need to perform at my best?", and I buy that. It's simple: you wouldn't put "regular gas" into a Ferrari, would you?
And lastly lastly, I'm not working. Not that my job at the running store was tough, but it often prevented me from napping after hard workouts, or doing self-treatment between runs. By recovering better, I train harder.
It's these little details that separate running well from running great, and if I don't do them there's always another guy out there who will.
