Long running and the disturbance of life

I nearly made it two weeks following a strict training plan and life gets in the way. Early morning training following a plan just isn’t  sustainable with all the stress married with kids throws at you. It’s fascinating, all I need is 12 - 15 hours a week, and I can’t. Outside factors such as sleep are so crucial and fuck everything up.

Worcestershire Way

I took work off yesterday to run a solid 25 trail miles with 3200 feet of vert. I felt like crap due to sleeping poorly the night before due to family. I got it done and feel alright today, good sign I guess with a while until race day. I only miss 4 hours of work when I do that so it’s not breaking the bank for me, I do work 6 days a week and my boss realizes I’m “working” when I’m running. Testing shoes, taking photos, etc.

GoPro shot for work, check out them hamstrings! 

I’m trying to stay positive about it all and at least focus on the main big workouts. I figure even if I just do the required long runs and strength I’m significantly ahead of what I’ve done in the past for ultra training. That’s the thought with 17 weeks to go. I’m sure wrenches will be thrown in the works, I’m already anticipating two. 

Panorama of Shaver’s End disused quarry 

The other day I received an email from the Arc of Attrition race director, it included their plans if the race needs to be altered due to COVID 19. A few modifications pertaining to crews, start and finish protocols. No big deal for me really since I’m alone all the time anyway. 

Took a fair amount of camera footage but the processing of it all is time consuming although fun to play with. I’m still uncomfortable taking selfies so the footage wasn’t that great. The quality is marginal on my computer too. 

The quarry above is a hot spot for kids to swim, although illegal. People die there every summer it seems. I’m curious how. The newspaper gives vague reports of “cold water shock” and hitting things underwater. I’ve never understood cold water shock, I’ve swam among floating, spring ice high in the mountains, Lake Superior, and other super cold water. I think alcohol is likely involved, I just want the real reason! People here are extremely paranoid of water. No swimming and danger signs litter the River Severn, a tiny river compared to what I’ve been around. At my wedding all my friends swam in it and people freaked out. I guess “wild swimming” as they call it is just not part of growing up here. 

Slowly going back to normal around here. Kids went back to school last Thursday for pretty much a normal schedule. They leave fifteen minutes earlier but otherwise it’s the same routine. I start working weekdays tomorrow and will begin run commuting again. These commutes, although short, really boosted my fitness last fall so I’m looking forward to cranking up the easy miles. 

The Arc of Attrition 100 is in 21 weeks, the last weekend in January. I’m hoping to get a solid training regimen started after this week. I’ve procured a stout but do able training plan via Uphill Athlete that I’m hoping to execute. My main focus will be the strength work and the long runs. I’m planning to take time off work in order to do it right. Too many times I’ve attempted to run Sundays, or around family, and it just has never worked. I feel pressured to be back or feel guilty about missing family time. I know my boss will let me take a random (or consistent) weekday off to train. I already work 6 days a week anyway and it’s not like it isn’t work related since I work at a running store! 

I’ve figured out some hilly routes that will enable me to get in the required vertical and miles, and also a solid enough hill for muscular endurance workouts. So I’m excited get it started hoping I can execute it appropriately.

My feet are still bothering me. Second toe on my right foot and around the navicular on my left (upper inside above the arch). I can run on these things but they are there, I just wish they’d go away. Fortunately it’s time to build a monster aerobic base so easy running it is. Both feet feel like they need a good stretch, so I’ve been trying to just get them mobile. 

So life is feeling a bit more normal, things seem to be smoothing out a bit, so let’s hope it stays that way. 

Camera fun on the Wyre

An easy run playing with my camera today on the Wyre Forest. Having a lot of fun, once I figure out all functions and options I’ll try to implement more of a plan.