If RUNNING were a video game, I should have just got an extra man or something!!! After 8 miles this morning, I've totalled 1,000 miles for the year so far! That's about the same distance from Kansas City, MO to Monterrey, Mexico.
Now I have to stop and ask myself ... "Jim, in real life would you ever run from Kansas City to Mexico, crossing the border somewhere in Texas?" Because I love breathing air and not being shot by a drug gang at the border ... I'm going to say probably not! But it's something to think about I guess.
Overall, I feel pretty good. My legs feel strong. And the only nagging ache I have is in my left ankle - but I've had that for about six months now, and I know as the weather heats up it will go away. The only other thing is a little tightness in my right upper hamstring near my butt - but I think that's from my stride getting a little long due to trying to run too fast at times. Other than that everything is peachy!!!
I've held the opinion for a while that most runners don't run enough mileage to attain their speed related goals. I think the solution to the "running stronger and faster equation" is logging more miles. And from experience, I can tell you that the two most influential things that made me a stronger runner were adding miles, and additional strength work each week.
As always, here is the disclaimer ... THIS IS ONLY WHAT WORKED FOR ME!!! It might not be for everyone. So if you try tripling your mileage next week and break your leg or something, don't send me a nasty email ... I'm not your friggin' doctor or coach!
... be great today!
AWESOME!!
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your 1000 miles. That is impressive.. I do agree that you need to put the miles in to stay strong and to get stronger as a runner.
ReplyDeleteKeep Running!!
Congrats on hitting on a grands worth of miles
ReplyDeleteWay to go! That is an awesome milestone after only 4+ months into 2011. Keep strong!
ReplyDeleteGreat job!! You win! :D
ReplyDeleteI also have left ankle and hammy/buttage pain. Grr.
Cheers to you on your running accomplishments and here's to both of us having two great legs ...and soon!
1000 already!
ReplyDeleteI was just thinking on this post half marathon week of what I could/should do to improve for the next one, and mileage is the answer for me I think. I have decided to stay in maintenance mode until my next training plan officially start and not start over as far as the long run goes! If I get more longer runs (for me 10 and up) in I will do better I think.
Nice miles and we're only five months into it! I too find that keeping a nice base mileage up works for me.
ReplyDeleteCongrats Jim. I love seeing the distance on the map. You could beat Dean!
ReplyDeleteI love that you have already run 1000 miles. My miles were less last year due to injury and I have cut out one day of running to try not to be injured again but I would love to hit 2000 some year. Keep it up.
ReplyDeleteNice job Stud. Based on results, your training plan certainly seems to be working for you. I don't recall reading about you doing alot of speed work... tempo runs, intervals, etc, but I just noticed your 5K PR. Woo wee, that is blistering. Don't change a thing.
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ReplyDeleteI misspelled like 5 words in my last post, that's why I deleted it. It is 6:53 AM.
ReplyDeleteSo, what I said was, Mexico was a bad choice, trust me, I'm a Martinez. I think you need to move the blue line to NYC or...could you have made it to Seattle? Got a Starbucks?
1000 miles in 4 month. At my rate, I won't reach that milestones until October. Super job.
ReplyDeleteI agree! Last summer/fall, I started experimenting with higher mileage and I think it helped. with being new to the high mileage (high for me), I think I had some adjustments, so race wise, my times do not reflect a big jump yet, but I hope to do some more experimenting with the high mileage this fall. This spring, early summer, I'm working on my speed, and keeping a good base.
ReplyDeleteGreat job on your mileage Jim. AS you said "extra man", the old mario bros. music came into my head :)
ReplyDeleteThat chiro I went to told me I'm most likely feeling that pain in my high hamstring//low glute due to me being not alligned (think that's their answer for everything because that's what they do?) anyway, after going to him for a couple weeks and getting ART treatment, it's gotten better, but not totally gone. I've been really concentrating on shortening my stride, but who knows what that realy looks like.
anyway, did you and Michael know that Matt Long is going to be at Fargo speaking at the pasta dinners? Have you read his book? I don't go to the dinners, but hopefully he'll be at the expo!
That's amazing Jim... congrats!
ReplyDeleteI think it's cool when you take a map and actually map out how many miles you've gone... be it in a day, a week, a month, a year.
My husband's team is running across the country non-stop in November. There are 10 guys... all Type 1 Diabetics and are hoping to finish the 3000+ miles in 14 days, ending on World Diabetes Day in NYC. Kind of like Dean, but just 24 hours a day of running! ;)