Back To School

A question I am often asked is: “I want to run a 100-mile race, what’s the best way to do it?”

The short answer is that it’s like getting educated from 1st grade to high school. It’s a long process and there will be highs and lows, good days and bad days, along the way.

You may not want to hear this but I firmly believe that it takes more than a year for you to train properly, achieving adequate rest to allow both body and mind to absorb all the lessons that can be learned.

Yes, you have the option to cram. However, that’s a high-risk, hit-or-miss approach that might result in a pass but it’s not recommended for most people.

Here is my key to make sense of the schooling analogy:

Peeing your pants = Peeing your pants – Like the first day in a new school, in running this is the rare occasion where a PB is in sight, yet you need to pee. PBs are forever, pee can be washed off.

Teacher = Coach – People who tell you to do things you don’t want to and often act like they know everything. Truth is, it’s best to listen and respect these people.

Uniform = Running Kit – We always try make it look ‘cooler’ then it actually is. Have you ever been guilty of buying flashy new gear that looked so hot in the store but turns out to be impractical and awkward?

School Year = Training/ Race Year – A new set of goals and the ability to add a little more stress/ training load, due to strength built up over previous years.

School Term = Training Block – a period of time for consistent targeted training.

Subjects = Training Specifics – The core basics such as Maths and English are required, which is equivalent to Aerobic Training. Then dependent on goals and desires, specific training can be included, such as elevation gain, trails or heat.

School Days = Training Days – Just go and get it done. You may not feel 100% or you may not get it exactly right, but day after day it’s important to show up. There is always the chance of an unexpected opportunity when you “show up”. They are also there to be enjoyed.

Weekends = Rest days – Without them the process takes a heavy toll on both mind and body. Remember,  rest days are there to be enjoyed. You don’t have to feel guilty.

Homework = Core Work – Annoying as hell but important to do.

Exam/ Test Period = Race Time – One moment in time when you put your fitness to the test.

Holidays = Post Race Recovery – Time out to recover, refresh and get ready for the next training block.

That dream boy or girl = Strava– Regardless of your training plan, you try to impress and do your best to be noticed.

Make up/ accessories = Social Media – We strive to be seen as someone we are not and hide who we really are.

Perfect Student = Patient Runner – They abide by their coach, do the small things and have long term success. They are frustratingly organised, too.

Ignorant Student = Ignorant Runner – They cram, ignore the rules, act rudely and show no respect, yet occasionally manage to succeed.

Bully = Doper – A person who is insecure with themselves so they use bullying or drugs to help boost their ego.

Cheat = Doper – Self-explanatory.

Puberty = Injury –We need a little external advice (and ointment) to help deal with this and it seems to go on forever.

Pen Pal = Trail Friend you never see – That one person you write countless text messages to, trying to organise ‘that run’ , which never happens.

Just like school, in order to progress you have to turn up every day, go through the motions and learn from the lessons (which are plentiful).

This analogy stops after high school, because by this stage, like any teenager, you’ve got it all figured out, right?

Then comes the moment we realise “we don’t know what we don’t know” … and that’s when the real fun of learning starts.

Keep Healthy, Injury Free and Train Like You Want It.

Tally Ho!! – Majell Backhausen