Happy fall equinox! The first day of autumn is this weekend and this time of year always seems to make me a bit pensive, maybe because of the shorter days and cozy sweater-weather. This week’s Interval issue is therefore inspired by some more personal happenings, distractions, and reflections.
Have you ever gone into a race feeling underprepared? In “survival mode?” Maybe your recent training has taken a hit due to illness, injury, travel, work, or any general life surprises. Well that’s where both Paul and I are at this week and it can be mentally exhausting trying to decide whether to go through with it, and if so, how to revise any goals and strategies to keep it fun and come out in one piece. My plan is to: fuel, fuel, fuel (more than I think I should); stay present and listen to my body (but don’t overreact to normal fatigue); have confidence in my 20 years of consistent training (which is far more important than the last four weeks).
6 Tips For Running A Marathon When Undertrained And Underprepared
How To Race Ultramarathons When You Are Underprepared
On the other hand, yes, sometimes choosing not to start an event is the smart decision. If you’re truly not getting over an illness, if an ongoing injury is just too risky longterm, or if you haven’t got a good base of fitness. In that case, you can always volunteer for the event or support a loved one that is racing. Paul described his "domestique" role in an editorial piece several years back, which is not to be taken lightly, “When spectating and running support for a long endurance event such as an Ironman, ultramarathon or gravel race, having a strategy is important for your own pleasure and the peace of mind of your athlete.” And remember to take your own recovery seriously here, too!
How to Tackle the Role of Running Domestique
There were plenty of sporting events to keep track of (pun intended) over the last weekend, and admittedly I missed most of the coverage of the Men’s Ironman World Championships in Nice despite having highlighted this in the last newsletter.
Spoiler: Norwegians took the three top podium spots. Could part of their success be a culture of group training, “holding each other at just the right angle at the right time, sometimes joking, sometimes crushing each other” and proving the “holding each other at just the right angle at the right time, sometimes joking, sometimes crushing each other” and proving the “iron sharpens iron” adage true” adage true? There’s plenty of examples showing professional training groups, or camps, producing successful competitors: Mammoth Track Club, NAZ Elite, any professional cycling team… In recent years I’ve tended toward solo training, finding peace in my unaccompanied runs and rides but maybe returning to a few group runs a month would spark that competitiveness and drive that I’ve let slip.
All of Ironman World Championship Racing Has Been Changed by Three Men (and One Country)
Update on a recent post on the Mount to Coast T1: I bought myself a pair of these, even though I also recently purchased (and love) the much-hyped La Sportiva Prodigio Pros and have to say they are another surprise hit. I was skeptical of the wider toe box and lacing system, but my narrow feet feel like they have just the right amount of wiggle room and the lacing, after a bit of playing around with, is comfortable and easy to adjust mid-run if needed. Mount to Coast notes the heel-toe drop as 4 mm, which, having run pretty much completely in 6 mm drop shoes, is noticeable to me and may be the cause of some slight calf soreness. I fully expect this to pass and am eager to get these out on some longer trail adventures. Give ‘em a try!
The World Athletic Championships kicked off on Saturday in Tokyo, which you can watch all week on Peacock. Consider checking out replays of the Men’s 10,000 and both the men’s and women’s marathon for some dramatic photo-finishes.
Norda 001A Review: A Is For Awesome
