Good Coaching - Bad Client

Friday, January 21, 2022 · Mike Davis

Good Day!

This week we began our virtual half marathon training (one of my New Year’s resolutions). My goal is to train wisely, with better discipline. Reason being, I have not run a half marathon in over six years and any chance of success will require intelligent conservative training.

I believe I am very good at developing appropriate training plans for runners of all levels and distances, but when it comes to myself, I am not the best coach. It is very easy for me to start feeling good and let that feeling determine my running, versus staying with a thought-out training plan.

Day One

Tuesday my assigned training was: 35 minutes in heartrate zone 3 or MyZone color blue.

My plan initially is to run 5-minutes and walk 1-minute. I have been battling a calf strain, so I was unsure of how it would go. Well, I felt great and had no calf issues, and the felt much easier than I could have hoped. Because of this surprise good fortune, my pace was faster, and I ran 43 minutes instead of the assigned 35. I felt jubilant, excited, and encouraged!

The not so good…

Later Tuesday I was feeling great and even bragged a little bit to Kathy. Then, one of clients who is also taking a part in the training kicked me in the shins! My good friend and NFLF client Jerry commented on my Myzone workout that I did not follow my own training guidance. Ouch! The created a training plan thoughtfully to guide myself (and others) through a healthy half marathon (13.1 miles) training and already I was not following it.

Next Run…

Day two training plan: 40 minutes in heartrate zone 3 (green)

Having been admonished by a fellow runner as well as some introspect, I was determined to follow my own plan.

I ran with my Garmin watch displaying my heart rate and I focused on keeping my heartrate below 140 and that alone slowed my pace considerably. The results were less distance, but I accomplished what I needed. I did run 3-minutes longer than the 40 minutes assigned, but because I am run/walking, I was okay with that. Get off my back Jerry!

Overall, I did not run as far as I did on Tuesday, but it was a great run, and I am happy to have taken another step(s) toward 13.1 miles. I need to continue to be disciplined and follow the training as planned and knowing I am doing this with the watchful eye of a group will help. I feel great and probably could run much faster and longer than the plan calls for, but each run is about building toward the goal.

As long as I have been coaching, I am still challenged by coaching myself.

Have a great weekend.

God Bless

Mike

Note:

Our training group is accepting additions, so let me know if you want to join in!