Tuesday, November 25, 2025 – Training for hard

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Hi Gang!

Huge congrats to everyone who ran the Holly Jolly 5K on Sunday! Kerry (3rd in AG), Erin (1st in AG), Cassidy (2nd in AG), Carolyn (1st in AG), Carol, Cheryl, Jeff (3rd in AG), Colette (awesome comeback race after a long injury), and myself (1st in AG). It was a great course with awesome vibes! In two weekends we have the Holiday 10K (originally Tannenbaum 10K), and that race officially marks the end of the 2025 racing season! And I know many of us have already mentally moved on to 2026. Just don’t forget to take a little down time between seasons – your mind and body need to recharge.

This past month has marked the peak of cross country season, with high school, university and masters racers taking on the event. Cross country is supposed to be tough. It’s always hilly, twisty, sometimes narrow, often muddy (in fact, at the university finals they added mud because they felt it wasn’t naturally muddy enough), and as it’s held in November, the weather is always unpredictable and often cold, windy, rainy, and/or snowy. These elements all make up the essence of cross country running, and are in fact the point of it. The other weekend, my daughter told me something interesting about a competitor who had won the high school provincial champs and was preparing for the club provincial champs. It was a weekend between the events, and the forecast was due to be nice on Saturday and snowy and cold on Sunday. This athlete had told her friend she wanted to wait for the cold, snowy day for her long run, so she could get used to the conditions. Her training run would probably be slower and more difficult as a result, but that was what she was seeking. Maybe unsurprisingly she went on to win the provincial champs, beating girls an age group above her. I shared this story with some other athletes I coach, who always want the practices to be at a warmer time of day, with good conditions, in a nice location, at a time that they can sleep in, to set up a well-controlled and predictable workout where they can be happy with their measurable results. But sometimes the thing we’re trying to train, is not the thing we’re training. For cross country, we should be training for things to be tough, unpredictable and uncomfortable – not necessarily reassuringly fast.

Same goes in other areas of life. Sometimes the point isn’t to get through everything as easily and as well as possible, but to build the confidence to know we can handle the tough things. And the surest way to build that confidence is to go through tough experiences. I was listening to a podcast about the brain’s fatigue system (again). They argued that you can have self-belief all you want. But there’s a difference between believing you can and knowing you can, and that’s the experience of having done it. You can’t actually convince your brain of something it hasn’t experienced. In the crucible of action, false confidence is just that – false. But the confidence that comes from really knowing you can do the hard things goes a long way. So make yourself finish that difficult book where you have to re-read every page in order to understand it. Be the person who volunteers to have the difficult conversation with someone. Choose a complex recipe with lots of steps and obscure ingredients. Go for a walk or run in the cold, dark, wind and snow. Choose hilly routes. Sit down and force your brain to figure out the math with your kids. You don’t always have to do these things, but doing them every now and then, or at least not avoiding them, gives you the knowledge and confidence that you will always be able to handle them and that you are a person who can turn towards hard things. 

So yes, sometimes pick the downhill course with wind at your back (I did!) But also sometimes choose things like cross country. Nationals cross country are this weekend. My husband asked if I was worried about the weather. I told him my head was already wrapped around the fact that it was going to be 8K of hills, mud, twists and turns, and basic awfulness at the end of November. Hoping for anything to make it feel better (like a randomly sunny or warm day) was not going to help. It will feel hard. I know this. Trying to manage anything to make it feel good is not somewhere I’m going to waste my energy. I’m just going to embrace the suck (and snot and spit and sleet and mud) and get on with it. No one will care about my time or my place, really. It will just be about doing a hard thing to prove to myself I can do it. And then I’ll go back to choosing much easier things for a while.

On to tomorrow’s workout!

We’re back to hills. I think Holiday 10K’ers are still good to do hills bc we’re 2 weeks out – next week will be flat for you and the strength from hills can help in a 10K. So all together!

Let’s shorten up the sequence though but leave ourselves open to doing part or all of an extra set.

3 x short hill followed by 4 min tempo. Repeat 3-4 times.

I will come to Pottery but will be doing my own short wrkt for the weekend race.

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

xo

Seanna

Tuesday, November 18, 2025 – Running my age (by Jason Jacobs)

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Hi All!

If you got out and braved the elements running this past weekend – congrats to you on that! I think we had everything from rain to hail to snow to gale force winds depending on where you were. So way to go – we’ll be able to handle this winter! This week we have a guest post from Jason Jacobs about something I think we can all relate to: finding joy and purpose in running as we age. Remember – we get to define what we want it to look like. Jason’s story is a great example.

Running My Age

When I turned 50, I started a tradition — running my age in kilometres every year. It began as a dare to myself to finally take on the 50K ultra, a distance that had always spooked me. But somewhere along the way, it became something more — a reminder that some goals actually grow with age.

Over the past seven years, it’s taken many forms. A long, easy run with friends. A fall gratitude run under golden leaves. A slow, steady solo mission. Or a full-on ultra challenge. However it looks, the purpose stays the same — to push back a little on what age wants to take away.

The beauty of it is how simple it is. I just have to cover the distance. I can run, walk, stop for coffee, or grab breakfast. I can go fast or take my time. There’s no clock, no finish line, no competition — just me and the distance  

This year I ran 57 kilometres for 57 years, wrapping the Hamilton Marathon inside it — 8K to warm up, 7K to cool down. Like every year, it became exactly what I needed: proof I’m still moving forward — and grateful for every year I get to.

On to tomorrow’s workout: Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 drills, 6:15 GO!

600’s w 75-90 sec rest

  1. 5-9 x 600

If you’re racing the Holly Jolly 5K this weekend, 5-7 of them at 5K pace.

If you’re not, 7-9 of them at slightly slower than 5K pace and can work down to 5K pace (and increase the rest from 75-90 sec if needed) as you go.

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

xo

Seanna

November 11, 2025 – Adapting

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Hi All!

I feel like I just said “Happy Fall” and now it’s “Happy Winter”! As always it seems to have come on suddenly. Three weeks ago we were over-heating in the TCS Waterfront marathon, and now we’re bundling up. Seriously though, this does take some adaptation for our bodies, so just be patient with your running over the next little while as you adjust to colder temps and more layers. It’s ok to feel like you’re adjusting – you are.

I’ve been thinking about transitions this week. It’s rare that we hit a continual stretch in life where we aren’t adjusting or adapting to something or other. It’s actually amazing when I think about it how consistent our running can actually appear given the wild fluctuations of everything around it. Our bodies are in a constant state of flux. I’ve run through a growing body with puberty, a body that has carried two pregnancies and come back, a body that is strong, but not as strong as it once was as it ages, a body going through peri-menopause. Each transition takes some adjustment. I don’t expect running to feel or look the same throughout it all, but oddly, if I give it time and patience, it doesn’t feel or look too different.

The same is true with adjusting to life transitions. We run through having babies, toddlers, young kids, teenagers – each of these phases takes huge and constant adjustments as once you figure out one, you’re out of it and into the next. I think most of us here decided that the most reliable solution to most of these phases is to run early in the morning. But I’ve found as my kids have gotten older, I need to be more present in the evenings, and waking up at 5 am doesn’t always serve that purpose. So I’ve adjusted to more later-in-the-day or evening runs so I can match the energy of those around me when it’s needed. We run through career changes, shifting caregiving responsibilities, house moves, variations with our running partners who are encountering their own transitions. And with each new phase, we adapt. Adaptation means change. When we adapt, we have to change to fit our environment. When we’re going through a transition, it’s not helpful to expect our running not to change at all. It has to bend and move with us and our life phases. And adaptation does not always mean it’s worse for your running. Often a new phase brings positive change and fresh energy. My adaptation to running when I had young kids for example, meant that every minute away counted, I took no steps for granted, appreciated all of my runs, and maximized what I could do in short periods of time. My adaptation with teenagers and young adults has been to enjoy way more relaxed chatty runs with friends with less stress about “getting back” and even the odd post-run coffee. I’ve embraced both phases – they are what they are. The trick is to pause, allow yourself time to settle in, and then see what your running looks like. A transition phase might not be the time for big goals, until you know where your running will fit. If you’ve started a new job, taken on a new role in caregiving, or have young kids (that’s just 10-14 years of constant adaptation and adjustment), it’s ok to start training/running first, and see what goals fit the style of running you’re doing. Anyway, I do say all this as we adjust to the less serious but always impactful change of seasons. Less light, more cold, less solid footing. Don’t white knuckle it and expect yourself to do what you did in the summer. Let your mind and body adjust. They will. But start out gently and give it some time. You’ll adapt. You always do. Just give yourself some space and patience.

On to tomorrow’s workout!

Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 drills, 6:15 GO!

A little shorter, just to remind ourselves how to run in the cold and snow.

2 x 800 w 90 sec (between 10K and 5K pace)

2 min

3 x 600 w 75 sec (a lil quicker)

2 min

4 x 400 w 60 sec (a lil quicker but keep it in check as your body adjusts to running faster in the cold)

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

xo

Seanna

Tuesday, October 28, 2025 – Maintaining (by Adam Nicklin)

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Hi All!

One week after our teammates ran a marathon in way too hot conditions, it is now objectively cold out. Life isn’t fair! Can we please always just train hot, race cold. Also, don’t forget to wear your lights out there. Cars do not expect pedestrians to be moving at the speeds we move. Just a public service announcement. And today we have a guest essay by Adam – thank-you!

 “Maintaining” – by Adam Nicklin

‘Training Status: Maintaining’

Anyone who uses a Garmin watch may have come across this unsolicited, vaguely annoying message. Funny how an algorithm driven prompt can feel like a thinly veiled slight. I’ve seen this a lot recently as I approach the second anniversary of my last running race. Evidently, Garmin thinks I’ve thrown in the towel. Or do they?

Of late, I’ve been in a ‘do what you can, when you can’ frame of mind. It’s just what I have room for. No grand plan, no schedule. But I didn’t stop running altogether – I go with Karen for company on the weekend, and on Wednesdays when possible. I kept going on the bike too; mostly with Seb on the trails plus a weekly long ride or some hills if I can. So, returning to LES Wednesdays last week after a six-week hiatus, I expected to be mildly disappointed. But to my surprise, everything felt great. Pottery Hill repeats, then 5 (not the usual 4) minute tempo. I checked the times – not bad. A rounding error off pace, in the grand scheme of things. 

What I take from this is that consistency counts. Endurance pace social runs count. Bicycle commuting counts. Those little pushes on the cross bike to get over some nasty roots in the Don? They count too, apparently. It’s ok that they are fun, they still play a role. Maintaining isn’t defined by the absence of improvement. That ‘fitness chasm’ we fear isn’t found between maintaining and progressing; it’s the difference between maintaining and declining. A ‘maintained’ level of fitness may not keep you race sharp, but you’re ready to be. Then when you’re ready, the right kind of work will get you there.

On to tomorrow’s workout – Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 Drills, 6:15 GO!

Along the theme of Adam’s essay, I feel like we could do something a little lighter this week. Most people are done their big key races, and we can do something not super hard to maintain and stay in it. Let’s do:

1 mile tempo – can be more like MP if batteries are low

3 min rest

5 x 300m at choice pace – can be tempo with 1 min rest (I believe 300m is to the last pillar)

3 min rest

5 x 300 m at choice

People racing the Beav trail race, just do one set of 300’s.

Don’t worry – a less intense, less volume workout will not decrease fitness, in fact it might even give you a little bump. Listen to Adam – he’s wise!

That is all – see you in the am!

xo

Seanna

Tuesday, October 21, 2025 – The hard days

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Hey Gang!

Congrats to all who ran the TCS Waterfront Marathon this weekend! Michelle S, Sam F (BQ!), Sam R (PB!), Jeff S (BQ!) and in the half, Cindy, Madalyn, Carol and Zoe look like they all had solid days. And thanks to our cheer squads out there! I heard from athletes that you were noticed, heard, and much appreciated!

I’ve been thinking about this marathon and others this year, because it seems to have been a particularly tough season for marathons. (We are actually lucky because the Cape Town marathon was canceled on the weekend due to weather conditions). I think the consensus yesterday in Toronto was that if you ran within 5 minutes of your PB, you had a great day. More elites dropped out than ever, and people were passing out or just barely making it in. I think what made it so tough was the combination of the wind and the very high and unexpected humidity. This meant people were working harder at the start to stay on pace, and their bodies were struggling way more to stay cool. What happens in marathons is that every little shift the wrong way in the beginning becomes exponential. 5 seconds per kilometer too fast, or with too much effort and not enough cooling could mean minutes per kilometer added on the back end. And for many people, this is what happened. This sucks, because we train hard and make sacrifices and we want to be able to represent all our hard work with a time. It is so hard to let go of this time goal in the first few kilometers, so we double down and hope for the best. This is brave, and gutsy, but unfortunately rarely works in a marathon.

The other thing about marathons is that most of us have not run a whole lot of them. Each one is a new data point. Very experienced marathoners could maybe adapt and adjust and slow down just enough to keep everything online. Rachel Hannah was our top Canadian female, and I’m not sure how many marathons she’s run, but I believe it’s over 20. And you can bet there were some tough ones in there. And the only way to learn how to adapt or get through them is by experiencing them. In shorter races, I don’t mind if an athlete goes out way too hard and blows up. That is the best way to learn where your limit is. It probably has to happen multiple times in order to get it just right too. In a marathon we don’t have the luxury of multiple races, and blowing up that way is very painful and hard on your body. But it is still experience. And every experience counts towards moving us forward.

No one wishes a day like Sunday on any athlete. I had multiple discussions with other coaches about how much carnage there was out there. But there is growth through hardship. Whether it’s how to mentally and emotionally deal with it, or just the wisdom of learning how different conditions affect you. I was thinking about my kids, and how my first impulse and desire is always to remove all adversity, failures and disappointments for them. I hate watching them struggle as they deal with hardships. But I know they have to learn how to pick themselves up and keep going. If everything were a straight, predictable, easy path, they would not learn to be resilient and tough and compassionate and wise. Some hardships are more difficult to handle than others. But we get served what we get served. And we learn how to deal with it. And as much as our loved ones and supporters want to fix it and make it better for everyone, they can’t. We have to learn how to get through and keep going. As a wise friend told me, sometimes the best and only thing is to say “that sucks – it must be so hard” and give them a big hug.  So hugs to all the marathoners who have completed their races this season through heat (Berlin), duct taping their bodies together (Chicago), underfueling (Wine Glass), and wind and humidity (Toronto). It is these experiences which make marathoners such beautiful people, and you are all beautiful people!

On to tomorrow’s workout!

Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 drills, 6:15 GO!

We’ve done the continuous workout (fast and float) for 400’s a couple times. Let’s try it with 600’s this time. 600 at around 10K pace straight into 600 at marathon pace. Let’s do 3 sets continuous, 3 minute break then 3 sets continuous. This is a new one for all of us so we’ll just show up curious and see what happens!

That is all – see you in the am.

xo

Seanna

 

 

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 – Voting for yourself

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Hi Everyone!

What a weekend of running! Huge congrats to our Chicago marathoners! Amanda (BQ!), Meagan (BQ!), Jordan (PB! BQ!), Chris (2 seconds off PB! BQ!), Cheryl (First ever marathon!!), Carolyn (PB and BQ!) And in Thornbury Steph came 4th overall in the very hilly half marathon and in Nova Scotia Amy H ran the Valley Harvest Half Marathon and came 3rd in her AG!

From most perspectives these are some very great results. I mean, as we know, just getting through a season of training and being able to show up and run mostly injury free is a huge accomplishment. But that’s not the bar by which we often measure ourselves. We want to do our best. We want to exceed expectations. We want to feel the way we feel when we have one of those amazing race experiences where everything comes together, we’re in the zone, we find that extra something, and we have the best possible race we could have. These races are possible, and if you’ve experienced them, you should be grateful. But they are not the norm.

I was listening to an elite athlete speak with very good perspective about this on a podcast. The same can be said for training. There are many many days when we can tell we are not going to have a great day. There are usually very good reasons – work stress, life stress, poor sleep, body not feeling great, … And the question is, how are you going to show up anyway? Are you going to put a zero on the board, or are you going to at least get something on there? A 4 out of 10 is better than a 0. This sport is about consistency, and often times good enough is good enough. Sometimes, everything starts clicking for a stretch, and we’re on a winning streak in workouts and races. And sometimes, the opposite is true, and we find ourselves in a slump. And then how do you show up? What this athlete said resonated with me: “With every single action we take, we’re casting a vote for the person we want to become”. When we feel dejected and a lack of confidence, we feel like backing off and not showing up because it threatens our egos and it makes the hard thing even harder. It is so easy to keep showing up when everything is feeling good and going well. But that is not the test. The whole point is figuring out how to deal with a bad day or a bad season. Learning how to do that is actually what makes great athletes. They all have bad workouts or races or seasons. But most of us don’t notice because they’ve learned how to make a “bad” race mediocre. Kipchoge has had a number of “bad” marathons, but no one watching would know. By showing up through these, these athletes have learned how to have “bad races” and turn them into the best bad race they could have. Instead of always shooting for the moon, they’ve learned how to bring their floor up.

I had the following conversation about racing with my daughter the other day. She asked, would you rather be someone who has either really great races and really bad races, or consistently decent races. What a question! I said consistently decent. Because it is way easier to bring up your average of consistently decent – ie. “raising the floor” than it is to wait for those one in 10 “great” races. (as a side note it is also way easier on your emotions and the emotions of those who are trying to support you!) In the podcast I listened to, the athlete mentioned instead of always looking for PB’s (which are increasingly rare the more experienced a racer you become), look at the average time of your last 5 races as a benchmark. That can tell you a lot. If you want to raise your top 5 average, just knock that bottom score off the board with a higher one than that. In this way, you WILL get consistently better, and when you do get one of those “punch through” races, it will be from a higher platform. But assigning “success” or “failure” based on a whether it was a PB or not is not fair to you, nor is it telling the whole story. Keep showing up and keep casting votes for the person you want to become – in that way, you will always be succeeding.

On to tomorrow’s  workout! Back to Pottery Rd Hills! (or Glen Manor if you’re in the Beach)

Let’s do sets of 1 full (400m), 2 half (200m), 5 min tempo. I recommend ratcheting back the intensity here as we’re putting a little more volume in. 3 sets sounds about right.

People tapering for the Toronto Marathon!!! 1 mile at MP, 3 min rest, 3-4 x 400 w 90 – just smooth and relaxed.

See you in the am!

xo

Seanna

Tuesday, October 7, 2025 – The Marathon (by Cheryl Whittam)

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Hi Gang!

Huge congrats to Miguel who ran the Wineglass marathon on the weekend! I think there is a story there – we’ll have to hear it next time you’re out. And in Toronto a bunch of us ran the Toronto Women’s 5K: Erin (1st in AG), Brianna (2nd overall, 1st in AG), Monica (1st in AG), Kerry (1st in AG) and myself (3rd overall, 1st Master). And thanks to all who came out and cheered 

Coming up this weekend we have the Chicago Marathon! Jordan, Amanda, Chris, Cheryl, Meagan. Then next weekend I’ll list the Toronto Marathon people!

We have a guest post this week by Cheryl Whittam who is running Chicago – thank-you Cheryl!

The Marathon – Cheryl Whittam

“If you want to run, run a mile. If you want to experience a different life, run a marathon.” ~ Dean Karnazes

After 18 half marathons, I am (finally) attempting to take on the full marathon in Chicago.  Growing up in a running family, I have always revered, respected and been slightly terrified of this distance! 

My Dad was a marathon runner back in the 80s, when the running boom was just taking off.  I have also had the privilege of seeing him celebrate his 65th birthday by completing the 2018 NYC Marathon and cheer on my brother at the Boston Marathon in 2017.  However I have never completed the full 42.2km myself.

Like any good training build, this one has provided me with many reflections:

  1. Resilience: running allows you to experience the entire spectrum of human emotions.  Some miles feel great, others are very hard, but regardless it is all temporary.  In that way, running is a metaphor for life. Our emotions are often described as energy in motion.  Running has allowed me to have a healthy way of moving through complex emotions simply by showing up and putting one foot in front of the other.  This has been a very helpful for me in both my personal and professional lives as well.

  1. Problem Solving:  Running, training and racing all require constant problem solving.  No training plan or race ever goes perfectly and has allowed me the opportunity to focus on progress over perfection.  Whether it be an injury, inclement weather or under fueling. Looking back, I can now see these as learning opportunities in the spirit of continuous improvement. I can’t control what happens on a race day, but I can control what I put into my training build.  Again, another helpful metaphor for life!

  1. The Power of Community: Over the years the running community has brought me so much joy!  It has allowed me to travel the world, make lifelong friendships and have some incredible memories with my Dad. I am also tremendously grateful to the LES Crew.  Running with all of you is an absolute privilege!  Your kindness, support and positive attitudes are such a blessing in my life.  Thank you for carrying me through this training build and various other challenge over the past year!  As well, thanks to those of you who graciously donated to my fundraising efforts for Chicago in memory of my Dad and in support of the Terry Fox Foundation.  I’ve been dealing with a couple injuries during this build therefore the support of “Team Terry” has been instrumental in keeping me motivated and inspired to fly through the streets of Chicago October 12!

On to tomorrow’s workout! We are due for hills, but I think trail racers should put hills in their weekend run, and we’ll come out and do one last workout with the Toronto Marathon people and see off any Chicago folk who show up for the taper (that said, I won’t be able to make it tomorrow as I have an early appointment – so if someone could please lead that would be great!) – Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 Drills, 6:15 GO!

  1. Let’s do some good ol’ cut-downs. 1 mile (2 min), 1200 (1:45), 1000 (1:45), 800 (1:30), 600 (1:30), 400

Starting at tempo pace and working down as you go.

  1. Chicago marathoners: 1 mile @ MP, 3-4 x 400 w 1:30 just smooth

That is all – have a great one and I’ll see you next week!

xo

Seanna

Tuesday, September 30, 2025 – Running shoes & family ties (by Aryn Gatto)

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Hi Everyone!

The great fall weather continues! Hope the tapering marathoners are really enjoying it. I will say, it’s perfect for runners at all stages – even those coming back from injury. Run/walk in minus 20 degrees is just too complicated to dress for (If you know you know).

Below is a guest post by Aryn Gatto – who hasn’t been out in a while because she gave birth to a beautiful baby girl. I have a feeling the family running ties she writes about will be continued through her.

Running Shoes & Family Ties – Aryn Gatto

You never really know who’s watching when you lace up, and the ripple effect that you can have on others in your life 👟.

For me, that ripple effect started at home. My dad is a runner and – although he is on a bit of a running hiatus at the moment – he will forever be my inspiration for running and so many other things in my life. He is the one who first showed me the ropes and what was possible when you put one foot in front of the other, long before I ever called myself a runner.

He’s been there for every milestone – both in life and in running. He was by my side when I raced my first 10K, was a pace bunny when I ran a half marathon and even joined me for a leg of my first Ragnar. He’s also shown me how to keep running fun. This guy’s run in a hazmat suit and rocked a pink dress running with his buddies through downtown Toronto; he’s guided blind runners across finish lines; he ran a marathon as his way of celebrating his 60th birthday. In all that he does, he’s taught me the value of putting one foot in front of the other and the joy follows, whether that be in the form of lifelong friendships, weekly rituals, or adventures gallivanting around the world.

He’s a constant reminder for me that every time you head out for a run, race, or jog around the neighbourhood, you might be inspiring someone else without even knowing it – someone who’ll join an ambitious crew of wickedly fast, welcoming, kind-hearted runners (that’s you, Lower East Siders🏃‍♀️💨) or someone who simply needs proof that they can run that 5k.

So keep lacing up – you never know whose story you’re quietly shaping 📖

On to tomorrow’s workout! Back to Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 drills, 6:15 GO!

800’s! 6-8 of them with 1:45. This is a good check in and pep-builder for marathoners. Don’t overdo it if you’re tired – remember, this isn’t where to prove fitness – that is the race. You’re all fit and the work is done. Maintain inner confidence and resist the urge to overdo it at this stage.

People tapering for the Women’s 5K: 2 x 800 @ 10K pace, 4 x 400 @ 5K pace w 1:15-1:30.

That is all – see you in the am!

xo

Seanna

Tuesday, September 23, 2025 – Finding the wins

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Hi Gang!

Happy actual official Fall now that we’ve passed the equinox. This is the best time for running with cooler temps, beautiful colours, and still enough daylight to admire them! Let’s enjoy this while it lasts.

This week I’ve been thinking about the stories we tell ourselves and how we process our performances. I’ve watched athletes in the World Championships and their reactions after good and disappointing races, and I think we can learn a lot from how they responded. There was Jakob Ingerbrigsten, the multiple world record holder, multiple time Olympic champion, and dominant 1500m and 5000m runner. He was coming off an injury which had kept him from racing since February. He was not at his top fitness, but went out and raced as well as he could, which he knew was well below his usual standard. Ingebrigtsen did not make it out of the heats in the 1500m, and finished 10th in the 5000m. In comparison to his top form of total domination, these results were very average and could be seen as disappointing. In his post-race interviews however, Ingerbrigsten was upbeat, and said he was just glad he could get out there and race, and would have been way more disappointed if he’d had to watch the races on tv from home. He knew that racing in whatever capacity he could would improve his fitness and trajectory and he was positive about his entire experience. Cole Hocker, the Olympic 1500m champion, was disqualified in the semi-finals for jostling. He didn’t complain, he didn’t moan, he didn’t fight it. In fact he had no negative reaction at all. He quickly put the disappointment behind him, reframed, and focused on what was next; the 5000m. He went on to win that race and become world champion. He knew he had to remain positive, learn what he could, and move forward. There was no benefit in thinking about what could have been. Keely Hodgkinson was by far the favourite to win the women’s 800m. She had the world leading time by a second and seemed to be a class above the field. All the odds and forecasts had her winning, and the race being behind her for second. She ended up coming in 3rd in an unexpectedly fast final. In her post-race interview, she said if you had told her in June that she would run the time she did in the World championships final, she would never have believed it as she had been battling an injury. So despite not finishing where everyone thought she would, she found a way to be proud of her accomplishment and view her race in a positive light.

Finding the wins through defeat is not an easy thing to do. Our instinct is often to protect our egos by saying “that was a bad race”. What that means is, I’m better than that and could have done better. But in saying, “I came up short and I’m proud of what I did”, we’re not lowering our standards but validating our efforts. It’s not about letting ourselves off the hook. It’s about being realistic, trying your hardest, holding your head up and saying this was my best today. I don’t think it’s a coincidence that the best athletes in the world react this way. It is probably partly because they react this way that they’ve become the best in the world. They don’t make excuses but also importantly, they don’t beat themselves up. They find the wins even in the losses. That’s the only way you can keep getting up and keep going. There’s no I should have or I could have. It’s about accepting and then finding a way to be proud of what you did do. I’m going to try to share this mindset with some of the athletes I coach. Some of them are so hard on themselves it’s a wonder they’re able to get up and do it again! I think they think beating themselves up and being angry is the path to getting better, but in witnessing the best in the world, I don’t think it is. We should all learn to hold our heads up and celebrate our wins – even if they don’t land us where we expected to be. Because as Ingerbrigsten said, otherwise the safest option becomes not doing it at all, and just being in the arena instead of on the couch is a win in itself and the surest way to learning and improving – no matter what the result. 

 

On to tomorrow’s workout! Back to Lakeshore and Leslie – 6:05 drills, 6:15 GO!

Let’s repeat this one we did a few months ago:

2-3 sets of continuous 3 x 400-400 alt 10K and MP – 2 min bw sets.

So we are running 400m at 10K pace straight into 400m @ Marathon Pace, straight into 400m at 10K pace, etc… for a total of 3 of each. Then we take a 2 minute break and repeat.

Last time 2 sets was plenty. Those who have built fitness may want to try 3. Or part of 3. Let’s see how it goes.

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

xo

Seanna