So Much Running, So Little Time ...

My mileage this week has been absolutely pathetic. I've been gradually increasing my mileage in anticipation of running my first ever marathon at the Standard Chartered KL Marathon in June. This week I only managed a measly 29K which in my opinion is chicken feed! I've downloaded a marathon training plan from Runners World a few months back but totally ditched it deciding to follow my instinct and my own capabilities.

It's really hard to follow a prearranged plan when your work commitments get in the way, especially in the line of work I'm in. Work comes in at the very last minute just when you're packing to go home for a run or having to go back to work in the middle of the night to supervise and help out with installation work. Most days by the time I'm back, I'm either too exhausted from work or time just doesn't permit me to go the distance. Then there is the weather factor as well.

I could go out running much later at night after getting home from work or even in the mornings before work (which is kinda difficult for a sleepy head like me) but I don't want to be doing junk miles just for the sake of putting in the mileage without it doing some good for my performance.

I have this philosophy, if I'm going to run, I want to maximize the run and get the full benefits of the run instead of just running aimlessly to add the miles which in the end won't do me any good in improving myself. I like to come back, look at my data and see where I can improve to make my runs more efficient. You can ask the wife, she's probably fed up of listening to my ramblings about my pace, heart run, strides, etc, etc, after each run ... LOL!

Which is why I'm kinda disappointed over this week's mileage. The week has been stressful work wise which saw me having to forgo some planned run sessions which in turn resulted in poor mileage. I've always strictly followed Jamie's 'time on feet' advice as part of my training to prepare for my marathon and hardly being able to put in decent runs is no way that advice is going to be beneficial.

I try to put in decent, beneficial miles during the work week and reserve the Sunday's for a nice long run but sometimes the tension and stress of the lousy work week just sticks with you like a huge burden on your shoulders and you end up hitting the wall and no matter how much pleading, screaming and threats you throw at your legs, it'll just refuse to budge, like what happened today.

A planned 25K was cut short to only 14K cos I just couldn't push on anymore. The way I felt today during the run has left me really doubtful about my capabilities to run the marathon, let alone complete it. I was huffing and puffing by the 5th KM and by the 10th KM, I was wondering when this torture would end. At the 14th KM when I saw the wife, I decided to call it quits and join her for a nice long walk back to the car.

It's days like these when I really doubt my capabilities and whether I'm really up to the challenge of running a marathon. The SCKLM is just four months away and I've still got a lot of hard work to put in to even dream of crossing that finish line let alone get a decent timing, which would be a bonus.

Good thing tomorrow is an official rest day and I'm looking to doing some better and much longer runs next week, work and weather permitting that is. If only I was working in a nice, regular 9-5 job, now that would be awesome for my running plans!

Comments

  1. Totally know what u mean. It's tough going when work commitment seems to take up so much....
    But even when u r having one if those 'blah' days, don't fret. It will pass. Push through it even when u don't feel like it. Can't tell u just how often that happens to me. After on calls, and stuck hours on end in heavy traffic, the last thing I wanted to do was to lace up and go for a run.....but do it anyway.
    I hv had to run on treadmill at times when pressed for time. Maybe u can consider clocking some mileage on that.....hang in there!

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    1. Sad but true, work does get in the way of running. But have to cari makan too. Wouldn't it be great if we were all millionaires and could afford to run morning, noon and evening :D

      But thanks for the encouragement. I'm sure once I put the work stress behind and actually get out to run, things will be fine again. It's always that first step out the door!

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  2. Like Francis commented, it will pass and I bet you will run strong again soon.

    And you talking about pace, heart rate etc with your wife. At lease you have a runner to talk to! I must bore Zaini silly with my talk and he doesn't run at all! xD

    Hang in there. Better runs is just a tying-your-shoe-lace away. ^^

    BTW, what's time on feet?

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    1. Thnaks Lina, I'm hoping to put this behind me and move on to a new week of running.

      It's good to have a wife who shares the passion I have, at least we both can talk ourselves silly about running all day long ... LOL!

      Time on feet. It's more of how long you can run instead of how fast you can run. For a marathon (especially for snails like me) speed is not the concern, it's how long I can endure being on my feet running without stopping, hence the time on feet.

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    2. Mr Nick Arthur Phillip,
      If you are a snail, what does that make me?

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  3. I concur and a firm believer in quality of trainings instead of quantity.

    I registered SCLKM, and it will be my 1st FM at SCKLM he he, so we got something in common then - see u at the start line.

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    1. Cool, it'll be fun to start on the same starting line with my ultra-marathon idol :D Now if only I could actually keep up with you!

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  4. @Ray, I'm disappointed in you. The marathon is considered under-distanced for you lah :)

    @Nick, I feel you man. But you can still hack it. Just be on the lookout for pockets of time and do it - 5K also OK, just make it high intensity.

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    1. I totally agree, a marathon is like a 5K training run for Ray la! LOL!

      I'm inclined to pack a set of running gear in my car and grab whatever run time I can on days when I have to stay back or work late. That might be the only way to get in some decent mileage!

      Thanks for the encouragement and tips :D

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  5. You are ready to do FM if your target is just to complete one. But if you wish to feel good and finish strong in your first FM, yes, you will need to do much more than your current training.

    May be you should define your target (Finish time? Or running the whole distances without walking? Guess you had that already) and then working on the plan that balance between your workloads and running. Then at least you knowing that you have put in all you have to the first FM, and you will not regret about it.

    Btw, I knew it will be very hard to judge if the effort your planned is sufficient for your FM target. So, why not take it easy and completing one FM to have a whole experience? Then you will be able to plan and training more efficiently on you next :)

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    1. I have no aims or goals for my first marathon except to cross that finish line within the qualifying time. I seriously don't know what to expect but I will definitely try my best.

      This marathon will be my test bed to gauge my capabilities for future races. Thanks for the advice, much appreciated.

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