The off season diaries- U turn

It’s been a while since I updated the training blog.

Last time I wrote I was training for the Ultramarathon in Wales.

I went down and completed that. The main outcome of that run was to complete, but not to go all out and suffer for a month after because of it.

Being able to recover was the main aim and I believe I nailed that.

I guess I faced what many runners probably face too. I committed to too much without actually having a clear aim of what I wanted to focus on and what to prioritise.

After speaking with my coach we came up with a plan for the Ultra and I executed that.

Off season update

I’m now doing a bit of a U turn on the original aim of this off season.

Originally I wanted to focus more on improving my running. And for me to do that I increased my running volume and reduced my strength.

However, on talking to my coach he said that actually before we increase the running we need to work on technique.

So more strength, technique work and less actually running in the short term.

I went to my coach with the aim of becoming a better runner. So being more efficient was priority number one. So becoming technically proficient before increasing volume makes sense. Otherwise I am just ingraining bad habits.

We are now putting a programme of running together to help me become a more efficient runner. Which is quite hard to your head round initially. But thinking about the bigger picture it will be better long term.

Probably the hardest part of the whole process is pulling back from the running. At best, I think we may be able to do a half marathon by the end of next year. Which for someone who has regularly run Ultramarathons for the last few years feels like regression.

But it does also allow me to focus on some shorter distances and revisit some training cycles to see if there is anything I prefer running along the way.

I have always pushed towards the longer distances but actually maybe I will enjoy shorter stuff more.

It’s intriguing to see how it will progress and I’m excited for the journey.

It is a step towards becoming a better runner but also a better coach.

More to come……

About the Author:

Hi my name is Ollie McCarthy and I am a Running Coach and Personal Trainer in Tunbridge Wells. I help people to build fit, robust and capable bodies that look good but also perform well. This is done through a combination of running, mobility, strength and conditioning work.