General Discussion Triathlon Talk » Distance threshold? Or just mental? Rss Feed  
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2014-08-12 10:01 AM


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Subject: Distance threshold? Or just mental?
Is there something about some distances that once you hit them it opens up a whole new world?
Or is it just that I'm starting to get stronger and more mentally prepared. Or just the marginality of working with bigger numbers?

I've typically only run 4 miles at any given time. Sure, I've done 6 here and there....once 8. But mainly on a lark because "I felt pretty good that day and let's just keep going for a bit."

But, with an Olympic on the horizon, I needed to assure myself I could do 6. The leap from 4 to 6 seemed pretty dang daunting for me, actually. But in the last few weeks I started upping my distance. I set out one day to do 6....miscalculated, and only did 4.9. I was mad. Tried again the next day....5.8. I wasn't mad then, because I knew I could do the extra. Even tried a brick this weekend to do the Olympic distance to make sure I could go the distance. The bike doesn't scare me at all and after a few stretched out runs, I felt pretty confident. No problems, and I ended up doing 7.5 on the run.

Honestly, as scary as the leap from 4-6 was, the leap now from 5 to 8/10/whatever? doesn't seem at all so daunting.

I wonder is 5 just a magical number? I can see how the marginality of additional miles comes in to play when you start increasing that total 'base' that you're working from.

I guess, it probably also has to do with the fact that I'm intentionally setting out .5 or more mph slower than my usual. I was pretty happy with the fact that my last mile which is all slight (but annoying) uphill I was able to push my pace back towards my 4 mile average on a 6.5 miler.


2014-08-12 10:12 AM
in reply to: jhaack39

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?
Originally posted by jhaack39

Is there something about some distances that once you hit them it opens up a whole new world?
Or is it just that I'm starting to get stronger and more mentally prepared. Or just the marginality of working with bigger numbers?

I've typically only run 4 miles at any given time. Sure, I've done 6 here and there....once 8. But mainly on a lark because "I felt pretty good that day and let's just keep going for a bit."

But, with an Olympic on the horizon, I needed to assure myself I could do 6. The leap from 4 to 6 seemed pretty dang daunting for me, actually. But in the last few weeks I started upping my distance. I set out one day to do 6....miscalculated, and only did 4.9. I was mad. Tried again the next day....5.8. I wasn't mad then, because I knew I could do the extra. Even tried a brick this weekend to do the Olympic distance to make sure I could go the distance. The bike doesn't scare me at all and after a few stretched out runs, I felt pretty confident. No problems, and I ended up doing 7.5 on the run.

Honestly, as scary as the leap from 4-6 was, the leap now from 5 to 8/10/whatever? doesn't seem at all so daunting.

I wonder is 5 just a magical number? I can see how the marginality of additional miles comes in to play when you start increasing that total 'base' that you're working from.

I guess, it probably also has to do with the fact that I'm intentionally setting out .5 or more mph slower than my usual. I was pretty happy with the fact that my last mile which is all slight (but annoying) uphill I was able to push my pace back towards my 4 mile average on a 6.5 miler.


mentally, I never though I could run more than 13.1 for a half-marathon, but now that i'm training for an Ironman, I've done both a 14 and 15 minute and will probably max out at about 18-19 (not sure what my coach has planned) - I try to break it mentally down into segments - 4-5 mile thoughts and that helps me
2014-08-12 10:51 AM
in reply to: austhokie

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?

I've found that hitting increasing milestones is really motivating and does open up new possibilities.  I was really intimidated when I had a 1,650 yd swim on my schedule.  After I did it, though, doing 1,100 yds, previously a "long" workout, felt short.  Same thing with running.  After doing 4 mi., a 5k felt short.  The other day, I did 6.3 mi. and felt like a million dollars.  Now I'm seriously considering a HM, which I never in my wildest dreams thought I could do.  It's kind of like hitting a new milestone resets my perspective of what's possible.

The only caution I'd say is to be careful about abruptly increasing distance/time without working up to it.  You don't want to end up with an overuse injury.  That happened to my DH.  He got a stress fracture in his hip and tore his hip labrum.

2014-08-12 11:45 AM
in reply to: laffinrock

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?
Nothing really magical about 5 miles or any other number; it kind of depends on what your body gets used to.

When I first started running I would always do about 3 miles then burn out. I thought that was my limit. Then I started running with a slower friend and could do 4 miles easily with her (this was before I really understood how to train to increase distance). Later we trained for a half-marathon together, gradually built distance, and it seemed that 10 miles was a huge milestone. Whenever I got to that point in the training it would be "easier" after that to keep going. Now I find that I cross that threshold at about 13 miles.

Training is about pushing your body, letting it adapt, and then pushing it again. Just don't overdo it.
2014-08-12 12:00 PM
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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?

You're probably at a mental threshold limiter at those

 

This changes, however, once you're up at 3+hr bike rides, and/or 18+mile runs for most folks who aren't already training specifically for these long events. There absolutely will be a limit to how long you can go without dramatically slowing, if not going barely walking pace. It's a lot farther than what you're doing now, but you'll run into it for sure once you really start building or training for HIM or IM or marathon. At those distances, to finish without slowing to a mudlike crawl, it is definitely not all mental and definitely requires a lot of progressive training to do it.



Edited by yazmaster 2014-08-12 12:01 PM
2014-08-12 12:01 PM
in reply to: jhaack39


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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?
I still remember the first time I ran 10 miles, felt like a hero for a day. I still remember the first time I road 50 miles, that felt awesome too. Now it seems if I don't do both of those things on a weekend, I'm slacking. Goals get achieved and you look toward the next one, keep your focus and you'll get there.




2014-08-12 12:51 PM
in reply to: jhaack39

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?

Before 2009 I had just been doing sprint tri's, so I really didn't see any reason for training runs more than 3 miles.

I really didn't go longer until I decided to run the Sarasota HM in 2009 and followed a 1st timer's training plan that built up to race distance over 16 weeks.  In particular, I remember the first time I did 6 miles and then 10 miles in training.  For me they were more psychological threshholds than physical.  Getting to 10 miles was the thing that really built my confidence in my ability to complete the HM.

I really enjoy doing a weekly long run in the 6 to 8 miles range.  But at age 61, the thing I have to be careful about is the amount of recovery I need if I go more than that.

Mark

 

 

2014-08-12 1:42 PM
in reply to: RedCorvette

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?
In training for my HM last fall I found that 3 miles was kind of the bare minimum I needed to be satisfied with a run (5 seemed to be a good medium). Maybe it's the number but I guess I'll never know. I maxed out at 10 and felt like a champ and knew the training would carry me the extra 3.1 miles. Not sure if its anything to do with the numbers but likely more of a mental test. You can do it, you just need to put in the time in training and you'll be surprised what you can do. As other have pointed out though there is an upper limit to this. I've never gotten there yet but in due time I hope to do an IM, century, and a marathon.
2014-08-12 2:22 PM
in reply to: ChemNerd23

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?

When I was training for my first marathon, the 15 mile mark was some sort of magical barrier to me.  I had run a couple halfs, and had done up to 14 miles in a training session, so 15 was my first foray into, as Joe Rogan puts it about the championship rounds in a fight, "deep waters".  

 

20 was the next magical barrier.

 

Even now, seeing a number bigger than 15 on my training schedule makes me have to mentally prepare a little more than I would for a 13 miler, even though I've done several 20+ mile runs.

 

I haven't been over 53 on the bike yet, so I can't comment about bike mileage.  

 

A swim workout that's scheduled for 2000 yards also gives me pause.

2014-08-12 2:55 PM
in reply to: #5038523

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Subject: RE: Distance threshold? Or just mental?
I still remember the first time I ran 10 miles. Easter Sunday, 2012. All of my in-laws thought I was nuts so the memory stands out.

I think barriers like that tend to be mental, though obviously there will eventually be a physical barrier as well. I find it's the mental that I struggle with most.
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