WTF INDEED Well to answer that question I don’t know, but what I do know is I needed to change things up. I have known that things needed to change in order for me to enjoy running and get back to doing the things I needed to help my training but it took a 6 week illness at the end of my last marathon build-up to give me the opportunity to sit back and reflect on the past few years and then move forward. First I needed to make sure I still had the desire to train, I do. Then I needed to figure out what my goals are and if they are the same as before, well they aren’t not entirely anyway. Do I have the ability to improve on what I have achieved before? I think so. Then what do I need to do now to move forward and reach my new goals? It is simple really. Training. I need to get back to running, but more than that I need to build up slowly with a clear plan and follow through with that plan. I have been training steady through the first part of this winter so I am taking care of the first part. Next I need a goal race to make the training mean something and I do. I will be running the Lake Biwa Marathon in 2012, as they have been nice enough to invite me back again this year. So now the last part of the puzzle I need someone to bounce training ideas off of and who can, from the outside of my training bubble, offer ideas and suggestions to help me reach my goal. I have partnered back up with my long time coach Al Johnston and with that I have what I need to get ready for Biwa. In the mean time training is going well and I am back to using my altitude chamber again. Last week I eased into some workouts by joining the crew at Trinity Western University. Bomba has been nice enough to invite me out to train when it fits with my schedule and right now it is a good fit as I build-up towards marathon specific work. The marathon is a long lonely race and I think to be prepared for the marathon- training for the most part should be long and lonely. I have taken a lot of good training ideas from my previous marathon build-ups. I have learnt what real marathon workouts are and how they feel and what I need to do in training to get to the point where I can get through them. There were many good things in my past training but there were things I knew I was missing in training that were nagging at me and I think this time around I can combine the two for a more specific program that works for me. Next up for racing will be the Pioneer 8km in January and after that a half marathon in February I still need to decide on, but first up is the 8km where I can see where my current training has taken me.
