The Month I Thought I’d Fail (But Ended Up Crushing It)
You turn the calendar on June 1st and you expect the blazing sun and humidity to sap you dry. The idea of having a successful month of training seems absurd. You question why you registered for a fall event nevermind a 100 mile race. What were you thinking?
The Calendar Turned, and So Did My Mindset
And then you turn the calendar to June 1st and reflect on what took place. What were you thinking is the first question that comes to mind, again. This time the response is different than you expected it would be.
This is my scenario. I never expected the answer to what were you thinking to be…..you know what, I had a great month of June training. This is exactly what happened though. I can give you the data but what isn’t in the numbers is how I feel.
My training is typically 16 weeks long which would make June 1st the start of this training cycle. Sure I could give you the date, and I’m sure you’ll devour it, but let’s start with my mental state.
The Sub-21 Hour Dream: Was It Possible?
When I registered for Javelina Jundred 100, I gave myself a lofty goal of finishing under 21 hours. The calculation was that I had finished similar races at Rocky Raccoon as fast as 19 hours and 11 minutes up to 21 hours and 59 minutes. 21 hours for a finish felt like a lofty goal but with enough work it would be doable.
During the month of May, i started to become skeptical about this goal. It felt unachievable but I didn’t think about the fact that I hadn’t been training in earnest yet. This changed when the calendar did. Week after week and run after run, the idea of breaking 21 hours felt achievable.
Confidence Builds, One Run at a Time
The confidence in me was building. I have been finishing the hiking / speed treadmill workouts feeling great. The Saturday Stairs workouts, while tough, were no longer exhausting. That long run on the beach in the horrible humidity? Yeah, I was clipping off miles in a super consistent fashion and not feeling many lingering effects.
Sub-21 hours…..I feel that goal is achievable.
So, what changed from May to June? You mean besides the confidence? The answer is in the consistent workouts, the double days, the rest day but most of all the nutrition during workouts.
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The Secret Ingredient: Nutrition Over Paces
My goal is to consume between 400 and 500 kcal per hour during my training. As I began training in June that was what I was most fixated on. The paces were second and the elevation was not at the forefront of my mind. Calories, calories, calories.
As I’ve been practicing with Skratch bars, 7 Summits Snacks bars and Spring Energy I have noticed that toward the end of runs I am no longer starving and the next day I am feeling energized to train.
What used to be a slog at the end of 2 hours now feels good. I’m tired, sure but it’s no longer a feeling of walking to the end. I am ready to go and this is after a week’s worth of training that normally would have had me on the couch taking a nap.
Crunching the Numbers: Did I Reach My Goal?
For those that want the data, here you go.
I am a low volume runner and do not expect to go over 50 miles in a given week during this training. So, despite wanting to increase mileage I tend to start on the lower end. That means that the month of June was going to be around 25 miles per week of running.
Goal: 100 miles
Reality: 102.9 miles (25 mile increase over May)
Add in another 34 miles of walking to that number and the mileage, overall, is right where it needs to be.
Training Peaks Fitness Gain: +4 points
Add in a few hours of strength training plus a trip to the pool and June managed to be a very good first step (some may say crushing) in my build toward that finish line at Javelina.
If I’m grading myself, and I do teach, then I would give myself an A-. The reason for this grade is that the elevation gained during June could have been more. I would like to get those numbers higher so that when I’m on the last loop and climbing my legs don’t feel like jello.
The Bigger Picture: Why I Keep Going
Miles, Hours and Elevation Gain will continue to accumulate over the remaining 12 weeks until start day. I’m sure I’ll be asking myself a lot of questions regarding registering for Javelina but for the month of June the answer to What were you thinking? Is…..
To prove to myself that I can do hard things.
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