The Temptation to 'Do More'
Typing the words, "12 weeks to go," actually made me hold my breath. It's the first time I've felt panic followed by, "I'm running out of time."
But am I behind schedule? Does this response deserve validation… some time center stage with an accompanying, "told-you-so" bow at the end?
No, it certainly doesn’t.
I started training ahead of time, and even though I lost three weeks to injury, this hasn’t cut the recommended training time.
Every running blog will tell you that at many stages, you'll be lured by the temptation to "do more," extend further, or go faster on your slow-and-steady run days. But when you feel the fittest ever, your body does strange things, wanting to lean into the ease and push further. Do this, and you risk injury, burnout, and reversing the training plan's effect.
Those words again: trust the plan and process. I have no idea how I'll be on my first marathon (and I am a classic "over preparer"), but that's why you stick to a tried and tested plan.
This week, I missed one day of training due to a miserable cough and cold. I trimmed a further run by ten minutes because I was still ill, and running in torrential rain didn’t seem wise. I was concerned about ending the day with a souvenir chest infection.
Before falling ill, I endured a 95-minute run in the rain—an inaugural wet-weather run for me! There's a possibility that race day might mimic these conditions, so experiencing them is crucial. However, it was undeniably grim.
This week, resisting the urge to push harder despite being unwell has been challenging. As a chronic "over-preparer," the anxiety about potentially "falling behind" as race day approaches was palpable. Once again, I'm reminding myself of those important words: trust the process.
Ever seen the Vicar of Dibley episode when she disappears into a puddle? If I had wanted to reenact that moment, there was ample opportunity. My feet were soaked within the first 3 minutes, but once you've experienced one large puddle, the next one doesn't matter. In fact, towards the end, I found myself just running at them and through them.
Sometimes, it’s all about perspective, right?
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