I had a training plan in motion to run my first 10K this spring. After the week of doing a long run of six kilometres, I just haven't had it in me to do that many kilometres again. Maybe I am just not ready. Any suggestions?
It is normal to flow through highs and lows during training. It can be helpful to find a training buddy. Group training can make a significant difference in your motivational levels and accountability.
Lack of interest can also stem from increasing your mileage too quickly, for too long or running too fast. Make sure you are running the long endurance workout at an easy pace. The difference between running for fitness and training for a race is a training program is linear and progresses weekly whereas a fitness program remains constant. Because of this, as you build your endurance it is vital to vary the pace of your regular runs and keep the effort level for your longer runs at a conversational pace.
Teaching your body to run longer puts a demand on the body; even though it's done at an easy effort, it's still challenging. If you run at your normal pace, you could be running too hard. And, as you've discovered, running too quickly can lead to burnout. When you finish a long run, you want to feel as though you could continue to run another kilometre - this extra energy and feeling of accomplishment is what will keep you coming back for more. A good trick is to walk a minute every kilometre or so as it helps break up the time and offers a chance to hydrate. Ease up on the pace and don't worry about your time. Create a variety of loops in your area - a long path or short loop. Follow a program that flows through two or three weeks of building, followed by a week of reduced mileage. With a few tweaks you can get back on track from a motivational standpoint.
Jenny Hadfield is the author of Running for Mortals, a certified personal trainer and official coach for the Sporting Life 10K.
Send your questions for Jenny Hadfield to life@globeandmail.com