On Running: Training Update
Here is a training update for my early 2012 endurance athlete extreme hardcore monster man training plan.
So far, training is going HORRIBLE. Ugh...where do I start. For one, I injured my knee. It really hurts when I run, and locks up on me afterward. Oh, and even worse, it's my GOOD knee. You know you're in bad shape when your good knee starts giving you fits. It's a toss up though: if I don't take enough time off, it will not recover, but if I take too much time off, I will lose my conditioning. So, I've been trying to take some time off without sacrificing too much of my training in hopes that it will level out here soon.
Another issue I've had is I've become sooo slow. Despite my best efforts, I have not been able to break a 25 minute 5K in training yet this year, even though I ran a 22:28 5K PR on a hilly course last October. All my other distances have slowed substantially as well. Perhaps it is the cold weather, or perhaps those few weeks I took off over the holidays set me back father than I thought they would. In any event, I've been getting paranoid about this whole thing. Was last year my one comeback peak, and now it's gone? Did I take off too much holiday time? Is this plan just not meant to be? Have I checked out mentally? Am I over training? Under training? Simultaneously over training and under training resulting in a training cancellation meaning I am accomplishing no training? Who knows.
I am signed up to run two upcoming races. The first is a tune-up 5K in two weeks called the Hot Chocolate Hustle. Should be an easy race to kick start my running year. I know I'm not going to PR it, but I really hope my training kicks up and I can run it in a sub-25.
The second is the week after and is a race I've been wanting to do for a long time. It's sort of a local legend and is suppose to be very intense. It's called The Frosty Five and it is a five mile trail run through the snow covered trails of heritage park. The trails are very steep, and the snow makes traction KILLER. To prepare for this race, I have begun going to the weekly training camps (first time I've ever done this for a race) held every Sunday on the exact course. The first couple went okay, but the last one sent me through a world of doubt. I became exhausted after several miles and had to resort to walking. Then, to make matters worse, I made at LEAST two wrong turns and inadvertently cut a mile off the course. Now I feel slow, unconditioned, and stupid. I am very confused and frustrated right now, though thankfully I have two more training sessions of this before the actual race.
I have so much planned for this year, I hope I do not drop the ball...