Think before you sign up!

  Congratulations on making it through another training cycle! Regardless of how your race went, you can take comfort in knowing the training you have done these last few months has and will continue to benefit you long term. Now you may be thinking, “what’s next?”  I always encourage my athletes to wait at least 1-2 weeks after their goal race before deciding what they want to train for next. The best thing you can do after you race is rest and recover. Recovery for the mind is as beneficial as recovery for the body. When designing a race plan, you want to schedule races that make sense for your long term development as a runner.  You are going to have a better idea of those races after giving yourself some time to reflect post race. The biggest mistake I see runners make is that they sign up for too many half and full marathons and not enough for shorter races. If you don’t allow yourself to go through a few different cycles to work on your speed, then, you are going to have a higher chance of hitting a plateau in your respective race distance.  If you raced a fall marathon, it may be time to consider doing some shorter races this winter while working towards a spring half. Throughout that time, it’s still important you are building your miles and not neglecting consistent training. Working on different gears and in a different system is going to set you up well to train for a faster marathon in the future.  At the end of the day, this sport is our hobby not our job. I understand as a coach that there are bucket races and events that are really important an athlete. You deserve to compete in the events you want to compete in. The benefit of having a coach is that they can help you decide which races make the most sense. All I can ask of the person is that they continue to make smart choices inside and outside of running that support their overall goals. We get one running life to live so enjoy the sport to the fullest. Good luck!  *Spewak Training coaches are accepting new clients. Please feel free to reach out to us contact@spewaktraining.com to learn more about our training services.*