37 Comments

Terrrell, you have provided us with great quotes by authors who are basically telling us to re-claim our own sovereignty and take responsibility for our own training by listening to our own body as no one training program will or can work for everyone. “Bio-individuality” rules and maturity says experiment, experiment and experiment until you can create your own training program. There are many “gurus” out there but if you break the word down I think it really means... “Gee , You Are You”. That realization can go a long way in allowing us all to grow up and claim total responsibility for our actions, on the running trails as well as off them.

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This is so interesting. It took me several injuries in my thirties and early forties to realize that rest is one of the training intensities. It's so hard at first to realize that simply "doing nothing" on a rest day is actually training, and is actually something that will make you stronger and faster. But to respond to your very interesting quotations about pain, it's interesting to me that in certain sports, like rowing, or any similar endeavor where the duration is fairly short, athletes are taught to ignore those pain signals. In rowing sprints, the people who go fastest tend to be those who push themselves that extra little bit past the point where the body's safety mechanism says slow down. It's an interesting dilemma--balancing (perhaps?) the pain-signal response in training against the pain-signal response in competition of a certain kind.

And lastly--because your piece is really thought-provoking!--the idea of each step being taken for itself rings very true. I was just backcountry skiing in Chile and our little group of nine skiers talked about how you don't do this for the downhill only. You have to love the uphill for itself, taken one stride at a time.

Thank you for writing!

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Oct 16, 2022Liked by Terrell Johnson

Oh my word!!!! I think that's great.... I'll be cheering you on every step of the way.... What's the date of the marathon?? I think the way it all turned out, it was just meant for you to run that marathon!!!!

A Scary thing happened to me in '16... I'd run a really good h/m in Nov '15. I signed up to run a 15k, Hot Chocolate Run, in Nashville Feb 13.... It was Super cold,, they told us at expo to really layer up.. Morning of the run it was 17 degrees with wind chill at 7... I made up my mind to change mine to a 5k.. My husband was walking it.... I remember getting very close to finish line, earlier when we first started we crossed railroad tracks. So I could see the RR tracks, and remember being so glad it was almost over... I was Freezing, feet were numb. The very next thing was me in an ambulance, being laid down!!!!! They'd already taken my jacket off,,, I had no recollection of getting there, jacket off, nothing!!! One guy started IV, other one kept telling me to look at him. He told me to hand him my towel,,, a little race towel... When I saw it I about died,, it was bloody. He ask me did I remember tripping, going to close to the curb, anything that could have made me fall. I said no, he said we think you Passed Out, and fell, bc my hands were so clean,,, like I didn't try to Break my fall. My face and head were a mess. They wanted to know if anyone was with me, waiting or racing, I could remember Phil being with me but couldn't remember if he was waiting or racing!!! Which really scared me.

I was taken to Vanderbilt,, at first thought it was heart attack,,, wasn't, thank God. Scans of my head were normal. Spent from Sat morning till late Monday afternoon,,, had every test known of man,, everything was clear... Dr said it was like conditions were right to make the perfect Storm. Too cold, I was not fueling at all bc of the cold, and had been under Alot of stress!!!!!!

I almost quit Running,,, wore a heart monitor for a month.. I couldn't go out to run for a long time. Wouldn't even do treadmill if my husband wasn't home...

But, in couple months I ran the Nashville half, no problems since...So, I kinda know how you feel.... Wish you all the best.

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Hi Terrell, Thank you for the lengthy response. I think I'd like to do some half marathons. I may do a 10K inJanuary with NYCRuns, with an out of town friend. I haven't done many shorter races, so maybe that would be something to try as well. Thanks for your column, I love reading it!

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Oct 13, 2022Liked by Terrell Johnson

"The miracle isn't that I finished. The miracle is that I had the courage to start." John " the Penguin" Bingham

Hi, Terrell! Re-evaluating where I belong on the Internet. You are right. Writing is hard! So are comments, though I love to comment. Doing too much for awhile so I need a short break. I do love the Half-Marathoner community. . . so, I'll upgrade to my paid membership this weekend. That's going to be IT for newsletters! The others all go on the "delete pile."

Right now I'm not following any training plan. Looking for a place to move to and getting rid of old papers and books to start over. I think I have carried some of this "stuff" around for the last 30 or so years and don't use any of it anymore. Getting rid of it is like a breath of fresh air!

I'll go out again for a short run--2/3 miles until I start training for the BSIM. Mind boggling how many miles one puts in for a Marathon. Lucked out and have a Chi Running Instructor in the race, too, so I'm a little more at ease than I was.

Really love my Xero HFS. One does not realize how confining most shoes are until you try out Xeros-- I've only been tempted for years, and I'm glad I finally put the money out!

Nice weekend coming up. . .80 degrees. a first ever in Seattle in October! Take Care! :)

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Oct 13, 2022Liked by Terrell Johnson

I just signed up for three half marathons. First one is 11/8 in Louisville. I am getting excited and will ramp up my training. Best to all, John

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Thank you for this post! I am looking for a community of runners to help me get back into it. I have no trained for a year--some small runs in the interum. Did the NYC marathon twice in 2019 and 2021, and thought I needed a break. I stopped this year part do to injury, but part was unsure if I should continue running because of my increased age. But I have missed it! Now am trying to get back, and finiding it hard. Maybe I need a goal of a half marathon (not sure I will ever run a marathon again). But thanks Terrell!

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Oct 13, 2022Liked by Terrell Johnson

Thanks for this Terrell. It resonates and helps me with my thoughts while running long distance. I also used to have a push through approach and I would say unhealthy obsessive mindset about feeling the need to keep running whereas now I embrace the days off.

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Oct 13, 2022Liked by Terrell Johnson

Thanks a lot Terrell for sharing these words from Bingham. Could not be timelier. Now fully resting my foot from PF - already 5 weeks off running but probably a few more weeks to go (pain much lesser but still there) Will definitely use one of these training plans as soon as I am back on the road... run some extra miles for me!

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Oct 13, 2022Liked by Terrell Johnson

I love the training program! This is the most consistent training program I’ve done since I got credit for my marathon training in college! Thanks for encouragement, it’s been so much fun!

Got 6 miles done before 6 am this morning :)

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That is so true, of learning to listen to our bodies. I let my body lead the way with its pace, and I find the most joy out of exercising and running that way. Enjoy your words as always Terrell

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