Getting Slow

Soooo despite all that hard work I did this summer, I think I've gotten slower. Like, a lot slower. At practice on Monday I couldn't keep up with the people I have run with since freshman year. I just couldn't move my legs faster. They were sooo heavy. And then in Tuesday we did a fartlek: 6X2min then 6X1min. and I couln't keep up either. Actually, I didn't even finish. I got up to the first minute repeat when we were passing the place we stop... they were going to keep going and then come back, but I couldn't. And I mean I really really couldn't. I could barely even walk jog at this point. Luckily today we just did an easy recovery run so I was ok. But tomorrow we're doing a 2mile time trial. So I'm really worried. So, I am really jealous of everyone who has good genetics and will always be fast no matter how hard they work. Because I did a lot of running... look at the dailies over the summer if you want. But I"m not fast. At all. And no, I haven't burned out...and no, I didn't peak over the summer.

So yeah, sorry, I just felt the need to rant. Because none of my friends understand because they have either always been fast, or always been slow. So my slow friends don't understand why I'm so bothered by this, because they don't really care about running that much. They just do it for sociability.

But anyway, that was too long. And I probably won't post on here very often anymore because school has started and I have a lot of homework from 3 AP, 3 honors classes+XC+Job.

sooo...Bye!

Lastly, a warning for those who pile up a lot of mileage during the summer. More often than not, young kids would get ambitious and run a lot during the summer. They step out on the first cross country workout when the season starts and they just cannot keep up with other guys on the team. More often than not, they’ll get discouraged and give up on this type of program. You have just logged tons of miles and your body is not sharp. It would take a few weeks to adjust your system. Don’t struggle to keep up or run faster than you should. Remember how Lagat was getting beaten in the early season but he was the sharpest when it counted (at Osaka)? It takes 3 or 4 or 5 weeks to get your speed back and sharpen up. The important thing is; you need to sit down and map it all up so you’ll reach your peak when it counts. You may get beaten in the early season by those who had been doing faster work without building up the base. Invariably those who didn’t work on the base will start to nose-dive (because they lack aerobic foundation) when you come to the peak. So have faith.

-Nobby Hashizumi, Lydiard expert, founder of the Lydiard Foundation

awww....im sorry.
i dont really know what to tell you, but im sure that you will improve as the season progresses. Its still the begining. I dont feel as fast as i want to be yet, and i ran a lot over the summer also......you'll get better
good luck

I shot my woman down because she made me slow.

Just saying.

No need to post after HXC.

FinishingKick wrote:No need to post after HXC.

+1, but there was definitely need for RD's post.

HXC_Runner2012 wrote:

FinishingKick wrote:No need to post after HXC.

+1, but there was definitely need for RD's post.

Thank you.

Good posting HXC

Yeah, thanks!!! That made me feel better!

that made me feel better too, i was feeling the same way as you.

I was in kind of the same boat as you, except the only difference was that I know how I need to feel after summer base and I wasn't worried. We did our first really tough workout at camp this weekend and I got crushed. But comparing it to the leadups I did, I made huge improvements and those improvements will continue to build up until my final race of the season that I am peaking for.

And also, it was only one workout. Anything can happen at the time trial so don't worry about it, just have fun and run your hardest. GL.

how did your trial go?? just out of curiosity.

eehhh it was ok... my time wasn't too good...14:22. But I was # 7 so for the moment I am hanging on to varsity. And actually I felt like I had a lot left at the end... like I should have gone faster, or I could have kept going at that pace. And I think I would have been 6th if I had started kicking earlier because I was really close to the girl in front of me but I started picking it up too late. So, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... and it didn't feel as bad either, so that's really important motivationally for me.

Just keep the head up, you shouldn't be looking for any amazing times in the early season. Just look for steady improvement.

Also your body could be going into a slump. Sometimes it just feels really tight and stressed and you just don't feel like you're in shape at all. My xc season didn't start off too hot the first week, but once I got into the swing of things and got really good recovery runs in it all started to ease in and I was back with the pack.

*sg* wrote:eehhh it was ok... my time wasn't too good...14:22. But I was # 7 so for the moment I am hanging on to varsity. And actually I felt like I had a lot left at the end... like I should have gone faster, or I could have kept going at that pace. And I think I would have been 6th if I had started kicking earlier because I was really close to the girl in front of me but I started picking it up too late. So, it wasn't as bad as I thought it would be... and it didn't feel as bad either, so that's really important motivationally for me.

I ran a 2-mile time trial before track and ran about 14 minutes. Don't fret, you'll be fast when it counts.

HXC_Runner2012 wrote:

Lastly, a warning for those who pile up a lot of mileage during the summer. More often than not, young kids would get ambitious and run a lot during the summer. They step out on the first cross country workout when the season starts and they just cannot keep up with other guys on the team. More often than not, they’ll get discouraged and give up on this type of program. You have just logged tons of miles and your body is not sharp. It would take a few weeks to adjust your system. Don’t struggle to keep up or run faster than you should. Remember how Lagat was getting beaten in the early season but he was the sharpest when it counted (at Osaka)? It takes 3 or 4 or 5 weeks to get your speed back and sharpen up. The important thing is; you need to sit down and map it all up so you’ll reach your peak when it counts. You may get beaten in the early season by those who had been doing faster work without building up the base. Invariably those who didn’t work on the base will start to nose-dive (because they lack aerobic foundation) when you come to the peak. So have faith.

-Nobby Hashizumi, Lydiard expert, founder of the Lydiard Foundation

I think that's exactly what I needed to hear.

I am having the SAME issue!!! I did not pile on the milage this summer quite as much (ran over 500 miles last year, about 420 this summer) and our team began doing body circuits to improve strength, and i did begin feeling a lot stronger. But i just ran my first meet about 50 seconds slower than the first meet last year! (1 minute 40 seconds off my PR) I have been feeling just exhausted lately (3 weeks into school) so my coaches told me to take Wednesday, and Thursday off, after my body died after 1 400 at practice on Tuesday. I went to the doctor and got bloods tests (mainly bc my boyfriend had mono) and I don't have low iron, and they don't think I have mono (haven't gotten the actual results yet but I have no symptoms except tiredness) I ran 25 minutes easy yesterday, and then a terrible race today. I don't understand whats wrong, is there something wrong with my body? Or is it completely mental? I just wish I knew....

if you weren't doing any speedwork then you can't expect yourself to run fast. Now that you are doing it you will have the speed to reach that pace and be able to hold it because of the base you did over the summer.

Love For Running wrote:I am having the SAME issue!!! I did not pile on the milage this summer quite as much (ran over 500 miles last year, about 420 this summer) and our team began doing body circuits to improve strength, and i did begin feeling a lot stronger. But i just ran my first meet about 50 seconds slower than the first meet last year! (1 minute 40 seconds off my PR) I have been feeling just exhausted lately (3 weeks into school) so my coaches told me to take Wednesday, and Thursday off, after my body died after 1 400 at practice on Tuesday. I went to the doctor and got bloods tests (mainly bc my boyfriend had mono) and I don't have low iron, and they don't think I have mono (haven't gotten the actual results yet but I have no symptoms except tiredness) I ran 25 minutes easy yesterday, and then a terrible race today. I don't understand whats wrong, is there something wrong with my body? Or is it completely mental? I just wish I knew....

I had the exact same problem at the beginning of the summer. My easy runs went from like 8 minute pace to almost 10 minute pace. It just gradually got better though as I piled on the miles.
Try getting more sleep and eating healthier (try all natural foods for a couple weeks and see how your body feels)

Ive been getting about 8-8 1/2 hours of sleep for the past three weeks (summer i got 6 1/2) and i've been eating more healthy cutting out sweets and adding more fruits and veggies

^ lol, ya im working on that too.