Mailbag Monday 03 – Weekly Miles
Alex,
How many miles a week do you run? If you’re running 50 mile races, I would imagine you’re running at least that a week!
– JJ
Yeah, I wish that was true. While my goal is 60 miles/week, that hasn’t been the most realistic in my stage of life. Remember that I have 4 kids that don’t fully care if I train. They know I run and go to these races in the mountains, but not fully aware of the effort it takes.
With that being said, and don’t take this as a standard, I did complete my first ultramarathon in Leadville averaging 20 miles/week of training. Again, I am not recommending this!
What I have found over the years is that ultrarunning, or just running in general, is more a way of life. It is learning how to overcome challenges on the journey from the start to the finish line. No matter the training or preparation you have, race day can present challenges. Whether it be 6 hours of running in rain, thunder, lightning at 10,000 feet or sliding on your face down a hill, there will be situations you didn’t practice for.
What it comes down to is a choice: will I move forward, or will I quit?
Proper training can make this choice come later in a race. Ultimately, it comes down to the 6 inches between your ears. While I don’t consistently run 60 miles a week, I have 4 kids and other life demands that contribute to mental training. As long as I keep the tank full on race day, I can continue, and choose, to move forward.
