When I finished running Bloomsday, I went to the Corporate Cup Tent massage tables where I found my good friend and arch-rival Carl getting a massage. I asked him how he did. “Oh Hi Tom, I did really well. Got a PR this year 40 minutes and 9 seconds”. Wow. That nearly matches the fastest time I ever ran back when I was running in college. Considering Carl is my age and and running elite times, I decided to quiz Carl on his daily workout routine. I was surprised to find that he only puts in about 30 miles a week and rarely does he go out on a run that goes over 10 miles. Instead, I learned that Carl does a LOT of cross-training mixed in with other forms of anaerobic exercise.
In my last post, I talked about resetting and finding a new goal and purpose. Following Carl’s training plan might open new doors for me. Can I get down to 40 minutes and 9 seconds for 7.46 miles like Carl? Doubtful, but I am optimistic that a change in my training plan will not only bring my time down, it will make me stronger and protect me from injury. My abs and legs could and should be stronger. I plan to cross-train more to protect the hip. More swimming and more elliptical is in my future. Morning weight sessions followed by noon anaerobic might just be the ticket. I want to run until I’m 80. I’m hopeful that Carl’s plan just might get me there. More importantly, it gives me a new sense of purpose and motivation.