Our runners were back on-track last week after a long break away from our regular outdoor training sessions; to say that our 400m athletics track provided a bit of a shock to the system, would be an understatement to say the least!
There’s something about running outside on a track and totally under your own steam that requires a mental toughness far greater than any time spent on a treadmill or out and about jogging. There is no distraction at the track, its always just you, your trainers and every ounce of determination you can muster. Forget the comforts of a perfectly temperate gym with TVs and loud speakers blasting the latest tunes; the track is most definitely a place without frills or fuss.
Those 400m laps are the same each week, creating a familiarity that ensures we know what to expect and enables us to fully prepare for what is to come. There is certainly some level of comfort in that – despite it being a gruelling concept! However, with this familiarity often comes expectation and that is the trickiest part to overcome…
When we return to the track, or anything in life really, we naturally begin to compare current output with previous performance. On most occasions, this will be incredibly useful and can challenge us to raise our game to meet or surpass our last efforts, in a bid to keep progressing. But, there are also times when it’s best to forget the past and focus in solely on the present.
After a long spell away from the track, it was no wonder that many of us struggled and failed to clock the distances we were capable of at the end of 2017. At times like these, expectation is best left in the changing room so that full focus can be spent on the task at hand (or under foot, I suppose!).
Spend the session telling yourself that you’ve fallen behind and let yourself go and you can almost guarantee a sub-standard session and a real headache at the end from all of the mental abuse. Wipe the slate clean, be patient and respect your efforts in the moment and you’ll have a whole lot to celebrate as the final rep rolls around.
Be sure to acknowledge the benefits of familiarity but beware not to set unrealistic expectations.
Slowly slowly is sometimes the only way to improve.
Asha 🙂
The Session
SET 1:
- 3 mins run continuous (tempo – fast)
- 90s jog (walk if needed)
- 3 mins run
- 90s jog
- 3 mins run
- 90s jog
- 3 mins run
REST: 3 mins
SET 2: Place cones at 60m, 70m, 80m, 90m and 100m as markers on the track – 20 secs sprint out + 40 secs recovery jog back x 12 reps (sometimes referred to as 20:40s)
REST: 2 mins
SET 3: Finish with a final 3 rep blast of 20:40s
TOTAL TIME: 37 mins
Little Umph Wellness 