Running nowhere fast...

I have never had a solid training plan around running and because of that I have never had a hefty volume in my running training. The problem is only compounded when all of your friends ride bikes all the time! I dont think I have any firends that just run... Why sign up for the Santa Barbara 9 Trails 35 mile endurance race then? Partly to get motivated enough to bring my running volume up but mostly because when I do get the chance to spend the day running trails I just love it.

Then there is the reality of my recent training... I have spent a lot of time on the bike recently and a good deal of my running miles have been in races. Fast and short. Inconsistently obvious despite my optimism to go the distance. This is where good friends like Keevin and Sean Clancy are priceless. During our Swami's ride this weekend they got me to focus on the bigger picture of staying injury free and building a base rather than destroying myself after a good season. When I got home I put together the chart below and it was painfully obvious that I just should shelf the 9 trails race this year. My longest WEEK has been under 35 miles and this would be a one day wonder that I would be scrambling just to finish.


I had some big runs in but I would usually have to take four days off after to recover. . . My goal is now going to be running consistently 3-4 times a week at just about 3-4 miles each. Consistency in frequency. Funny how it is a lot like financial, spiritual and life challenges. Consistency rules!!

With my next running race (Pacific Shoreline Marathon) almost three months away I have plenty of time to bring on the build and keep it consistent. Slow and steady wins the race.