It’s been awhile since I’ve written a post about my own running, and since this is and always will be a personal blog, I thought I’d take a few moments to share something I’ve learned over the past nine months.
I was listening to an NPR podcast interview with New York Times Phys Ed columnist Gretchen Reynolds this past weekend, and in it she mentioned something along the lines of how being a fitness writer is one of the worst things to be if you want to maintain good health. Her point was basically that as a writer she winds up sitting almost all day, and that sitting really isn’t very good for you.
Last Fall I heard about the same thing from Christopher McDougall. We were chatting at an event prior to the Manchester City Marathon here in NH and he commented on how much his health and fitness had fallen apart while he was writing Born to Run. He really emphasized that he has learned that it’s really important to just put everything down for a short time every day in order to get some exercise. Good advice, but it’s advice that I must admit to not having followed for the past year or so since running Boston 2012.
I’ve now come to realize the wisdom of what Reynolds and McDougall were saying – writing a book about running was about the worst thing I could have done for my running. As much as I might have wanted to get out and run every day, the book and the demands of my day job were always hanging over me, and conspired to limit my running to just 2-3 days of maintenance miles per week for much of the Fall and Winter. My mileage was shot – in fact, there were a few weeks where I did not run at all (gasp!). My general health suffered as stress and deadlines began to overtake my life. When I did get out for runs, which often took a lot of mental effort, my body felt sluggish and things just didn’t feel right. There were a lot of days where running was really the last thing I wanted to do.
It’s funny how quickly things can change. My spring semester ended about three weeks ago, and with the end of teaching came free time for running, and I’ve now strung together three pretty solid weeks of decent mileage and a variety of workouts (hills, intervals, etc.). Interestingly, now that I’m once again running almost every day, I’m finding that my passion for the sport has returned full force, and it’s become very hard to take a day off (even when I know I need one). With the added mileage, I actually feel like my body handles the stress of running better, and my legs have regained some of their pop. I feel like a real runner again.
I’ve come to be a believer that regular activity is really necessary for the body to thrive. Exercising just two or three times a week doesn’t cut it for me – if I go three or four days between runs my body tightens up, the sluggishness kicks back in, and the mental effort required to get out the door grows exponentially. There is a fine line to walk though, as I also believe that overtraining for one’s current level of fitness and adaptation is the primary cause of injury. Finding a balance is the key – doing enough to stay fresh and keep the passion for the sport stoked, but not so much that you start to break down. This is the balance I’m trying to find right now – my body now wants to run, as does my mind, but the sensible part of me knows that I need to proceed carefully as I attempt to get back into racing shape and re-discover that guy in the photo at the top of this page. It’ll be a fun challenge – a Fall marathon is calling!
About Peter Larson
Hey Pete, I hear ya! I’ve been a trainer and coach for 12 years so people expect that I’m always going to be in great shape. But during some busy periods it’s tough to maintain a decent level of fitness. About 8 years ago I did a Master’s degree while still working full-time and boy did my fitness plummet. In the end it was worth it but tough to let go of so much hard earned fitness. I’ve found adding a 2-3 times weekly bike commute helps a lot when I can’t get as much running. Anyway, glad to hear you’re back at it. BTW I pre-ordered your book weeks ago but don’t think it’s been released yet in Canada as I still haven’t received it. Looking forward to reading it as I’m sure many runners are so your sacrifice is appreciated!
Thanks Curb! It can be tough sometimes, but summer is my release so I’m happy :)
Apparently the book has not arrived in the Canadian distrbuting warehouse yet, hopefully soon.
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Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – link to ow.ly
Work: link to anselm.edu…
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Dailymile Profile: link to dailymile.com…
Twitter: link to twitter.com
I agree with you, exercising 2 or 3 times a week is not going to make a big difference.. I usually get focus and my body response more when I workout 5 to 6 days a week.. Now I am back in to the gym 5 days a week, and looking forward to run my first 5k soon!
Pete,
I have never heard or remember reading if you have done much HR monitoring to build and maintain your aerobic base ala Maffetone. You are a much more developed runner than I but I really have enjoyed the transition to running in zone 2 and slowing building out the base.
Firstly, congratulations on the book!
Secondly – glad to see you getting back out there! I am thinking of the Cape Cod marathon as a fall 26.2 (it is sort of a back up as there is a small chance that I could still get a NYCM number).
p.s. I think you meant to say that you ran Boston in 2011 vs. 2012 as it states in the post, but I could be wrong and now feel sad that I didn’t see you run by (but by the gist of the post I figure you meant 2011).
Thanks Alett! Yes, meant 2011, need to change that. For Fall, there is a chance I may do NYC, or maybe back to Smuttynose.
Sent from my iPod
Inertia — a body at rest tends to stay at rest…
So true! Way to go! A Fall Marathon you say? To PR or pace?!
Depends on what happens with NYC – ideal would be to run fast in October, pace in November :)
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Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – link to ow.ly
Work: link to anselm.edu…
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Dailymile Profile: link to dailymile.com…
Twitter: link to twitter.com
Pete, ever blog about ART, mayofascial release and Graston. These forms of therapy keep me in my running shoes.
Have not written about them, but have been treated with them. I agree – great stuff.
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Pete Larson’s Web Links:
My book: Tread Lightly – link to ow.ly
Blog: https://runblogger.com
Twitter: link to twitter.com
Facebook: link to facebook.com…