Meet your maker

Running my second consecutive track session in what feels like at least a year brought back memories of a lot of days spent on what’s also known as the oval of truth.

The plan was simple- build on last week’s 5k, see how the legs feel. I ended up doing 10 x 300s, 10 x 400s and 10 x 300s, ten kilometers of work (thanks Chris for the inspiration). I was always listening inwards, making sure I wasn’t fighting for pace, always hovering around 3min pace (which is so much easier in super shoes). Getting ready to survive UTMB and run Berlin marathon in a few weeks has me slightly nervous and so I was curious if there`s still some pace left in my old legs, and the only way to find out was to go looking.

It reminded me of a version of training that’s become a little unfashionable- four hours on the bike, written down, planned and logical, that somehow turns into 200km by the time you’re home because you just kept going. Training that`s probably more emotionally satisfying than scientifically sensible.

I`d say the overall understanding of training we have today has killed the hero days. A good thing I`d argue, almost always. The data we have is better, recovery is smarter, and most people blowing themselves up on a random training day are chasing a version of toughness that`s likely best reserved for race day.

Once every few months, especially when you feel stuck on a plateau or just going through the motions, maybe it`s worth letting go of “sensible” for a day. A session to meet your maker, as we used to call it, where you push until your legs until they cannot hold you up anymore.

I know, I’ve written before about every session being a brick in the wall, directional rather than decisive. But the idea here is different - more evidence than stimulus, proof to yourself that you can still go further than you thought.

Of course this is a fine line and only works once you’ve built the discipline not to need it. I was never a particularly confident trainer and as a 25 year old I needed this more often than not. The older I got the more I understood to leave my ego out of the majority of the work (though I`d still argue having a slight chip on your shoulder helps as a competitor, which is worth an essay on it`s own). The point I`m trying to get to is that some of these sessions stick with you long after all the others have blurred together.

So here’s what I’d leave you with. Do the basics well for long enough and you earn a day like this- not a shortcut past the boring work, more a reward for having actually done it. Tired as I was on Wednesday, I`m still buzzing thinking about it.

I`m off on a cycling trip to Italy- I feel another spout of insensible coming on. Take it easy, but never too much.

Jan.