The returning runner…
Act 44 – So now you have run your first race since coming “back”
It was way back in Blog 16 that I last “talked” with those returning runners coming back after a long (multi-year) injury about their first race back. So…by now you have done your race (presumably something modest like a 5k) and have some decisions to make. Do you try to go faster or go further? You might ask, why do I have to do either? Can I just stay where I’m at? Well… you could, but it only gets easier the stronger you get. Besides that, people will start bugging you asking what you are going to do next. Most commonly, people seem to assume that if you have done say a 5k, that next you will do a 10k and then a half marathon and then a marathon and then an ultra… so it goes…
While I can have fun doing say a half marathon, I’ve found that I’m just better at the 1500 meters to 10k range. So I’ve chosen to just try to go faster at those distances. Some would say try to improve as you age such that you do better against peers in your same age group. However, I’m on a river in Egypt called “de nile” and persist in the idea of just flat out trying to go faster. But, increasing the distance is just fine too. You don’t have to pick – dabbling in both options is good as well.
The most important thing is to learn from your first (or most recent) race back. Did you start out too fast and fade? Did you go out too conservative and had too much left at the end? Did problems come up as a result of your past injuries and is there a way to mitigate that? Some ideas:
Trying to Speed Up On Your Next Race
· Consider running the first mile of your next race at your average mile pace from the last one. That leaves the next 2 miles (of a 5k) to pick up the pace. I’m a big believer in negative splits (getting faster as you go along) and being modestly conservative the first mile leaves plenty of time to pick it up.
Trying to Run a Longer Race Next Time
· Think about you target race distance and consider my suggested formula for “getting by” of working up to either 2/3 the race distance in a single workout or 2 times the race distance for your weekly mileage. Any additional miles you build up to beyond that will just make you that much more comfortable.
What if you crashed and burned?
· If “crashing and burning” just meant you hadn’t adequately prepared or went out too fast, then the adjustments are probably pretty apparent. But, if significant problems came up related to a past injury, some serious evaluation might be in order. Some things to consider:
o Were you successful in training on one surface (grass, dirt) but the race was on a harder surface (asphalt, concrete)? Maybe just target those races which match what you were successful training on.
o Although you may have had problems, are you still on an overall positive trajectory? If so, maybe you were just a bit overeager and regrouping for another attempt down the road will work out fine.
My first couple of races after being off for 28 years, I developed a limp about 2 miles into the event. Over time, by avoiding the things that bothered my leg the most, I’ve been able to shake the limp during races on any surface (I still do my training on trails and grass). Running is a long game. Be patient. Oh, but consult with your doctor regarding any exercise program and before attempting to return to activity after a long absence. Only you and your physician can make the decision as to whether a return to running is a good idea. CYA, CYA, CYA…Seriously, there is always swimming, biking, hiking and none of these ideas are inherently evil.
Photo: One of my heroes – Eileen Waters (1945-2016). A pioneer female distance runner and twice world record holder for 50 miles (6:55:27). She started out jogging in my mom’s 3x week running group and smiled every mile she ran. I miss her.