Silver wings

I was reading Kevin Beck's blog as he discussed training plans/concepts/opportunities.  My take away was the best training environment for an individual may be right where you are now.  Having your dream circumstance might not always work.  I've had no coach, I've had a coach, and I've relied on my own abilities to self coach.  Now having no coach is not the same as being self coached.  In my opinion many runners need to go figure out what running is about by actually experimenting on themselves.  It's hard to be your own coach when you have no idea even what type of shoe works for you.  How about the famous, "I have a marathon next week, what pace should I run?"  Those people aren't coaching themselves.  That's okay...I went through all that myself.

Back to Kevin's blog.  I believe he is on to something.  I had all the reasons to train hard in college, but I did not.  I trained much more in HS.  A teammate from college called me this week and wondered the same thing out loud.  "My best year in CC is when I started training in the third week of July."  What were we thinking?  Well I know what we were thinking and doing, but that was like 35 years ago.  Other dumb (code for fun) things seemed "funner" then.

That's kind of where my training has gone this year. 
- I want to do well this year at Ice Age.
- I have huge responsibility at work and I enjoy it most of the time.
- I am not as resilient as in the past in regards to WI winter training.
- I make the best of each day...what seems right?
- Whatever I have on race day is what I will try and maximize.  This is not Villanova '85. 

So the week starts out okay, but after a long day to and back from Chicago on Tuesday I only squeeze in 5 miles.  No big deal the past 3 days had been 24, 10, and 8.  Wednesday comes and I awake to a sore throat and the feeling of an on coming head cold.  My enthusiasm is that of one waiting to get their wisdom teeth out.  I am subconsciously trying to barter with myself.  The winds are a steady 24 mph according to my phone.  I don't own a treadmill...those are for other people.  I force myself to go down to the basement and repeat the same actions I've done since I was a kid.  Suit up.  I say things I can't repeat here, but I get out the door.  Now I'm in the action and for those not familiar with the act/art of running, it is much more similar to operating a vehicle then one might think.  I am piloting the ship from upstairs.  One continues to monitor all the equipment as well as the outside variables.  I already know it takes 20-30 minutes before I even give myself the workout.  I end up with a 5 mile harder effort inside a 9 miler.  Good thing.  I was wiped out Thursday and Friday and whatever energy I had was committed to full work days.  That's what we do.

3/6  PM = 8.0 (9:24) roads
3/7 AM = 5.0 (9:41) roads
3/8 AM = 9.0 (8:11) roads w/ 5.0 tempo (7:31,44,18,21,25) strong winds
3/9 OFF Sick
3/10 OFF Sick
3/11 AM = 20.0 (9:25) trails w/ Christine. Last 7.0 @ 8:30 pace
3/12 AM = 18.0 (10:25) trails w/ Dean & some w/ Sharon
Week = 60.0