Summer is a great time to buckle down and get in some good, solid training. I’ve been racing each month since since March this year, and after the Tamarack Ottawa Marathon I had to shut down the hard training and recover. From then until recently, I had fun supporting West Virginia running at the Clarksburg 10k and was proud to be wearing the Mizuno singlet in Atlanta at the Peachtree Road Race.
Well, summer is in full swing now and the post-marathon recovery fun is over. The time to get serious has already begun. I like each chance I get to build my body up one run, one day, one week at a time, and then letting all those things culminate into great performances. I finished my first hard training run in this build-up just recently and when I finished, my husband said, “”Good job! That was a pro-style run!””
If you’re not sure, pro-style is a term we’ve been using to describe a certain type of training. This type of training is more than just getting out to run each day. It’s pushing for a little more out of yourself in a run than your normal effort, but I also believe pro-style can be achieved in other aspects of life. Sleeping, eating, cleaning, and even family and friends are all worked into and around this training plan. It requires a full commitment to getting as close to the perfect balance of work and recovery as possible while still being adaptable to change and not forgetting that there are other important things outside of running- like family. After all, being able to adapt is also good marathon training as well.
Looking at the hot summer days ahead of me, I know my life will be centered around a lot of hard work followed by as much recovery as I can get. I feel really good about this since I believe that any talent a person has been given was given to be used to its potential. One of my talents is being able to work hard day after day, and I am fortunate to have family and friends that understand this might take away some of my time and energy with them for awhile. When the time comes to show the result of my work, I’ll be ready. Thank you to all those who understand my desire and commitment to train like a pro and the sacrifices that come with it.
Clara