Tuesday, March 25, 2025 – Exploring

Hey Gang!

Pretty sure there were no races this past weekend. Lots of stellar long runs though! Coming up we have Around the Bay this weekend. I believe we have Colette, Kerry and Jeff running it (anyone I’m missing?) Good luck and have fun! So far it looks like the weather will be very Around-The-Bay-y. Ha. If it’s not sideways hail it’s a good weather day there.

I just listened to an interview with Alex Hutchinson on his book “The Explorer’s Gene” (I’ve ordered it but haven’t read it yet, so probably more to come on this topic). He was talking about how we’re wired for exploration – at least many of us are. Yes, there is a gene for it, but like most things it is a scale, with some people being more wired to seek and search and find than others. On the other side of the ‘exploration’ scale is ‘exploitation’– making the most of what you already have in front of you. Some people are very good at doing this. Those of us who tend more towards exploration thrive in and seek out uncertainty. We light up with the idea of the unknown, exploring limits, moving towards the unfamiliar. (Interestingly in a side note he did mention that the exploration gene did seem to have a link with ADD which seems to make sense – it also highlights the fact that humanity thrives with a diversity of these traits and there are no good or bad, but it might help each of us to know where we fall on the scale and what makes us tick).

In listening to Alex talk, I identified with the exploration way of thinking when it comes to my endurance activities. I’ve done the Ironman twice, 20 years apart, and I think 20 years is enough time to make it new and unknown to me again. I flit between race distances as they become different challenges to me, especially as I age. Running after having kids was a bit of a new frontier and gave me new life for a while. Right now, the 1500 on the track feels new and fresh to me again. I’m currently going into the Boston Marathon quite undertrained, and for some reason this feels more exciting to me than if I were well prepared. I have no expectations but I’m very excited to challenge myself and discover what it will look like. To me, perfect preparation and predictable results are fun – but not time after time after time. I guess I’m not very good at exploiting. I get bored and move on. But I still do love exploring.

If you think you might be wired similarly, and you sometimes find yourself in the running doldrums, then all you need is to find a way to explore a little bit. It’s not your fault if you find yourself a bit uninspired in doing the same things again and again. But it is your responsibility to find a way to seek new frontiers that excite you. There are lots of things outside of your comfort zone which you haven’t tried yet. And if that thought excites you – you might have the explorer’s gene.

On to tomorrow’s workout! Back to hills!

1.       People training for Boston for the most part have their biggest runs coming up this weekend. In support of maximizing the long run efforts, I propose:

3-4 sets of: 3 x short (200m) hill, followed by 5 min tempo. However, the first two “tempos” should be at goal MP. I am trying to make this workout one that won’t leave you feeling as beat up and fatigued as they sometimes do. Don’t worry: you’re all fit. We just need to prioritize where we put our efforts now.

2.       Ppl tapering for ATB: 2-3 sets of 1 x half hill (200m), 2 min tempo

That is all – see you in the a.m.!

xo

Seanna