Birthday

Birthday yesterday.  I received so many fantastic running related  gifts - a subscription to runners world (including some Brooks socks), Skins shorts, my early gifted Mizunos, inspirational messages from friends and some wonderful books to enjoy reading during my down time and on rest days.  I gifted myself a fast 12km run in all my new gear, and it was lovely to be spirited along in all the gifts I have been given by my wonderful family and friends.

Eric Murray

I heard a really inspirational interview on National Radio this week with Rowing Olympic Medalist Eric Murray.  Murray discussed his Lydiardesque training regime, attributing his and Hamish Bond's success to working ridiculously hard in training.  Murray spoke of gaining confidence in racing because he knew that the distances and times required for winning would be less challenging that the rigor's and slog of training.  

Murray's words and training philosophy resonated with me, and made me realize that working harder in training would improve my race day results (this sounds like a no brainer, but the idea of completing really hard and challenging training sessions improving my performance of race day really appealed).

I think that with the calf pain I have been coping with, I have become a bit lazy with my running in the last few weeks.  I have been running reasonable distance, but mostly very slowly (12km without getting out of breath, and barely breaking a sweat), so this week I have begun to push myself a bit harder.  I have been running more trail and hill sessions (which are so much fun, and help me to really feel the burn), and pushed myself quite hard on my birthday 12km, finishing in 50min.  It is more satisfying to push harder, and quite motivating to know that I am going out to do a training session that will "hurt".  I am also doing more core strengthening work, walking and lots of stretching.  The extra work seems to be helping.

I suppose the old adage "no pain, no gain" is somewhat true.