The first couple of weeks I show up to Saturday training runs and the questions I get are:
“How far did you run today?”
“How far are you running?”
“Whoa! What kind of mileage are you putting in today?”
I answer them. Ten miles. Fourteen miles. Sixteen miles. They look at me like I’m crazy. “Why are you wearing the backpack for a ten mile run?”
One weekend I was late to training. I took off by myself trying to catch up with the group. I was about three miles into the run when another runner came up behind me and was making friendly conversation and asked, “Oh! What are you training for?”
Finally! Someone asked me the right question! Not “how many miles are you running” because I have a camel back on. His question was; “What are you training for?”
So I told him. He explained he’s run a few ultras and long trail runs as well. He got it. He understood. He asked the right question.
Training is to get you ready for race day. Literally a dress rehearsal. You don’t want to try anything new on race day. When you’re in training, you practice in training exactly like race day.
You want to be sure that everything feels good. Your nutrition is good, your hydration is right, your clothes are right, your back pack, run belt, hand held water bottle won’t chaff. Take everything into consideration. If it’s not working for you in training, change it up, practice it all again.
When you get to race day you’re confident because everything is the same way it was in training.
See you out “on the run”
09/20 Rough Creek Trail Run
11/08 Rockledge Rumble
11/22 Wild Hare Trail Run
12/06 Isle Du Bois Trail Run
12/14 Dallas Marathon
01/10 Bandera 100K
