Marathon Countdown: 12 weeks 5 days

Breakthrough. That’s what I’m looking for this week. Up until this past weekend, training for the Berlin Marathon in September has been fairly smooth. However, this past Saturday’s 13 mile “run” was a bear! Since then, it’s been a little tough for me to get back into the swing of running. Here are some things I’m doing to achieve my breakthrough:

1. Rest and recover. Overuse of muscles without rest can cause a heavy feeling and even lead to injury. This week I will continue to train, but dial down the mileage a bit to give my legs some rest.

2. Cross train. Instead of running 5 days this week, I’ve decided to do some swimming and other exercises to keep me fit. This will also provide some much needed variety.

3. Focus. Many “burnouts” (whether it is in training or in life) are the result of mental breakdown. I will focus on the successes of my training instead of dwelling on the fact that it’s difficult for me to run right now.

Hopefully, if you are needing a breakthrough with your training you can also employ these methods and find success!

Simon Haussmann, PTA