Normally, not a big deal. But this week it meant a 25km long run (my longest run since Roth last July) just three days after running the half marathon in Schoorl (my previous longest run since Roth last year!). Needless to say, the back half of the 25k was painful and very, very tough.
But sometimes, that “shock to the system” session – or pair of sessions – is just what’s needed to get going, mentally as well as physically. I now feel like I’m properly starting to get back into shape and have started preparing for the race season ahead a little more. It’s that dose of pure reality which reminds you of the hard work in front (a 25k long run shouldn’t be that tough for me when in shape) but also reminds you that you’re not in bad nick anyway. Plus, a couple of days on from that, and I’m already feeling the physical and fitness advantages that those two runs have brought.
While you don’t want to encourage injury, if just starting your season and have few weeks in the legs but are finding fitness and/or motivation hard to come by, it could be worth a shock session.
Maybe throw down a really hard 12 x 100s in the pool? Join a ride that is a little faster or longer than you’ve been doing until now. Add 5-10k to your normal run.
But don’t burn both ends of the intensity-distance candle. Don’t jump into a ride that is both too fast and too long; the same applies for the run. Shocking the system in one way is fine (it’s what training camps are built for) and helps adaptations as you start the season; but if you try to go too fast and too far at the same time, injury or even overtraining will be your rewards.