It seems strange to train when you don’t know exactly what you’re training for, and when what you don’t know what you’re training for is pretty far in the future. And yet, something has to be done, but not too much of something too soon, or you wind up doing something for nothing.
I don’t mean to sound like a bad imitation of Beckett, although I’ve been reading Malone Dies again and he is much on my mind. But it’s a fact that I still don’t know exactly what races I’m participating in this fall, and yet I still need to start preparing for them. When I don’t know what I’m training for, the simplest approach is simply to build a solid base of mileage and be sure to get in a decent mix of road work, trail work, hill training for strength, and some speed work in there somewhere.
As a result, I’ve been digging into various old training books and my journals to cobble together something resembling a plan. Basically, the plan is to comfortably reach a 20/10 weekend (20 miles on Saturday and 10 on Sunday, around 30%-40% of it on trails) by July, shortly before I head for Badwater to help crew my friend Nattu. Not that I’ll be pacing him for 20 miles, but it’s a conveniently ominous date on the calendar.
During the week, I’d like to work up to 6-8 miles on Tuesday, 6 on Wednesday, and 6-8 on Thursday, keeping Monday and Friday as rest days, with 35-45 minutes of yoga on the weekdays. No weights. And, of course, sitting every day for at least 30-35 minutes.
Hopefully by July I’ll know what I’m training for and can focus more on roads or trails, depending on the races I’ll be registering for this fall. Also, from July into September I plan to increase my peak Sunday run to 20 miles and my peak Saturday run to 30. That’s about the limits of what my schedule will let me do.
I’m adding another day of running (Wednesday) this year, and intend to work harder all around, with more aggressive run/walk ratios on the days I’m doing run/walks. Last year was an experiment in minimalist training, and I suppose it was somewhat successful, but I’m in the mood to work harder this year. Best to take advantage of an odd mood like that.
Sitting-wise, I know what I’m targeting for 2009: a weekend sesshin in nearby Chico, Texas this coming May. Anything longer than a weekend sit is just not in the cards this year.
I’ll get started on my Plan For Nothing next week. But I could use a lot more Unplanned Nothing time. I’m guessing we all could.
