Week Two - Much Butt was Kicked

Big, big ups to those that came out yesterday and ran, with the sun and the heat and the humidity and the allergens and the running and screaming and what-not. Give yourself a lot of credit for what you're doing - it's not easy, especially in this weather. I was very impressed by how much serious effort everyone put into their workout - that's what it takes, and it's also the real point to all this, as far as I'm concerned. It's not so much about running faster or farther as it is about the willingness to find some significance in doing the work.

Also, be patient with yourself. It may take several weeks before you notice a real difference in your stamina and your running in general, but if you follow the plan, and get three runs in a week most weeks, you will absolutely get there. OK, and it helps not to roll your ankle or fall down the stairs.

"Following the plan" means working hard when you're supposed to, but it also means not overdoing it. Pour on too much mileage, too much speed, too much load, and you not only run the enhanced risk of injury, but your progress will actually be slower. Again, there are different benefits to training in different zones of effort, and they're all important. I'll post about those different zones soon. I think most people don't know or understand the rationale behind the workouts they might have done for years, and they end up unwittingly cheating themselves and wasting a lot of time and effort.

Finally, again, please work on staying hydrated. Whether you're running or not, it's just good for you, so you should be doing it every day, anyway. I'll post more on this shortly, as well.

Next week, we'll meet at Austin High for a classic track workout - straights and curves. Again, no matter what level you're running at, it's a great workout.