My Early Mistakes - Training and Accountability

When I first started my running journey, I was like many beginners. I didn't have a clear plan and had to guess how good or bad I was. Training was complex and mysterious, and I began without much guidance or knowledge: just the internet and my mate, who was pretty fast.

My initial gauge for progress was based on my first-ever race experience, a 5k in Christchurch during my university days. I don’t remember my time from that race, but I vividly recall checking what time the winner and others ahead of me did. “I could probably do that,” I thought, so being faster and, ultimately, being the first to cross the finish line became the ultimate goal. And that's how I measured myself in those early days.

The challenge didn't lie in setting those initial goals or understanding the importance of self-assessment. The real challenge emerged when I started aspiring to specific times and outcomes for my training. I aimed for goals like a sub-40-minute 10k or a 19-minute 5k, but I lacked a structured training plan or method.

My approach at that time was quite simplistic. I'd head out for runs, attempting to maintain a sub-40-minute 10k pace in nearly every training session. There was little variation, and I focused solely on my pace and distance without a clear strategy. In 2010, my pace was measured by inputting my run time into my “MapMyRun” route. How times have changed!

Furthermore, I was also training for triathlons, which meant I was also cycling and swimming…. hard, obviously. The consequence of all this intense training without proper planning was that I quickly found myself on the brink of overtraining and burnout. I didn't fully grasp the concept of rest, especially in the midst of being a student, managing subpar nutrition, and occasionally nursing hangovers.

My fundamental belief back then was that more training and harder training equated to better performance. As fatigue set in, I'd push through, ignoring my body's signals and disregarding the importance of recovery. I'd show up for races or interval sessions knowing I was exhausted, but I'd stubbornly aim for times that were beyond my capabilities. Remember, I was basing my intensity on times I wanted to run, not what I could run.

This mindless approach led to poor pacing during races, starting too fast, and inevitably crashing later on. I was pushing myself to run beyond my abilities, ignoring data, and failing to acknowledge my own limitations. The result was a vicious cycle of avoiding data, shying away from time trials, and ultimately stagnating in my progress.

It wasn't until I began to understand the intricacies of the human body during my degree and developed a systematic approach to my training that I could break free from this cycle. But it took many years of making goals beyond my capabilities, training too hard to hit those goals, reading, researching, adjusting, and continuously falling short before I began to realize my mistakes.

Learning from these early mistakes was a critical step in my journey as a runner and coach. It taught me the importance of data analysis, honest self-assessment, and the value of a well-structured training plan. My evolution as a runner was marked by these trials and errors, but they were essential lessons that have shaped my coaching philosophy today.

As I rebuild my running back from my phantom injury and continue to train for my first triathlon in many years, I’m reminded of these early years as I catch myself thinking, “I should be able to run sub 17 min off the bike” without any substantial data to back up my ambitions. 🤦.

This week was awesome because the weather was good, I was back running on my local trails, and my mate lent me his single-speed hardtail MTB. I could get out in the forest for a few hours on the bike and continue to run pain-free. I also got in some family rock climbing time on Sunday. Living the dream!

This week, I’m keeping things pretty standard: tempo-threshold (Zone 3-4) in the pool and bike with a little more running and my first brick (bike-run) workout.

*NB: This will be the last week I include links to my individual Strava activities because no one clicks on them, and it takes ages 😭. I’ll continue to include a training breakdown. 

• 📊12:32 hrs total (TSS 517)

• 🏃5x Run = 2:51 hrs (34 km)

• 🚵2x MTB = 4:50 hr (65 km)

• 🎮1x Zwift = 53 min (30 km)

• 🏊2x Pool Swim = 2:00 hr (5.9 km)

• 🧗‍♂️1x Bouldering = 1 hr

Mon - AM Zwift 53 min (tempo), PM Easy 5km Run

Tues - Easy 30min Run

Wed - Steady Swim 60 min (3.2 km)

Thurs - 30 min run, slightly faster than the previous.

Fri - Threshold  Swim 60min (2.7 km or 3 km with kick)

Sat - AM Long MTB 3:45 hrs (45 km), PM Easy 30min Run

Sun - Easy 50 min Run (10km), Steady MTB 60 min (20km), Rock climbing 60 min