Love at First Bite!

Overused, corny, vaguely vampire-themed wordplay to kick off my blog this time. It’s sad, I know. I can almost hear you groaning.

So, the Pfitzinger 18/55-70 is well underway as I write this. I’m two weeks in and outrageously, still not dead.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, this plan is something I intend to consume in two-week ‘bites’, mainly due to the seriously intimidating mileages involved. That means a total of nine bites till race day.

Nine bites is like...two king-size burgers. You do not want to watch me eat two king-size burgers. I’m disgusting.

Just to test the waters, I ran a few high mileage weeks at the beginning of September. A 5-run 83k week to set me up for an intense 6-run 96k week.

To say that the 96k week felt ‘difficult’ would be like saying that I felt ‘a bit nippy’ after someone planted me neck-deep in an iceberg, butt-naked.

But that week did something very beneficial for me... It triggered a sea-change in my whole perception of what is ‘easy’ and what is ‘difficult’ in terms of training volume... something I really need if I am to follow this training plan with any amount of success.

I followed it up with an 80k recovery week. Did I just use the terms ‘80k’ and ‘recovery week’ in one expression? I did indeed.

That’s the change in perception I meant.

When I finally started on the plan proper, I wasn’t half as worried as I had been a month ago when I had decided on it. Don’t get me wrong...It’s still pretty daunting. But the chimera of insurmountably that seemed to surround it has melted away like butter on a hot bun. Butter...hot buns...now I’m thinking about king-size burgers again.

Back on topic, I’ve swallowed the first bite, and I love it. 

Bite One

In related news, I’m putting in a crapload of effort into strengthening, without which I’m sure to get injured at these volumes. The hammies, apparently need a lot of attention when one is running as much hills as I am, since the quads take most of the punishment during the runs themselves, the asymmetrical load can result in knee problems.

Some yoga every so often may be helping with recovery, though I don’t feel the difference. But I'll just take the word of the people who recommend it.

I don’t have much say over the quality of my nutrition up here, but in terms of quantity... let’s just say I’m starting to get funny looks at the table.

Despite that, I have lost about 5 kgs since mid-August, my scale tells me. Since this loss is not accompanied by any slump in energy levels, I’m not worried.

The bottom-line is - No unusual discomfort or pain so far. I'm feeling good.

Full steam ahead!