Guest Post: Plan your Year / Season and train for it ...by Pat Walsh

 ** Plan your Year / Season and train for it **

As we close out this year (where did it go?) and pick up our last races, then thoughts turn to next Year.

What do I want? What mistakes have I made? How can I make it a good year and one to remember. Is it short and fast, am I a speedy? Or Is it long Race and a quality finishing time?

Pick the 2 to 3 ‘A’ races you want to do Max,  and structure your training around those. You can't do everything. (Can be hard one to accept..) 

It is NOT possible to peak at 10’s / Half Marathons / FULL while hitting 5k PB’s. If you train hard you can do well in them all but you are not delivering true potential. 

Yes, you can start the year on shorter races, get your speed up and then move to longer distances. Perfectly normal, but don’t spend the year chopping from long to short to long. 

Once you know how your training fits together, look for additional races that compliment your ‘A’ races and act as stepping stones towards these main goals. 

Some tips for these races.

Practise pacing. Use shorter distances to run harder if you want long. Use longer races to build stamina if you want short and fast.

Learn to Relax and smile. Enough rubbish in the world. Enjoy your runs. Best results are when you are relaxed and ready for what is ahead.

Practise Negative splits (2nd half faster). Going from it straight from the gun isn’t always the best idea.

Run on Heart Monitor instead of Pace. (Always interesting) Every day is a school day. Run with a friend sometimes and act as Pacemaker for their PB. Enjoy the run and learn from your race stats. Great feeling.

2023 could be a funny year. I’m not a negative person but the decision by Athletics Ireland to add a levy to run races for those not in a club will have repercussions. The decision that all races have to be booked through their authorised partner (who take a premium) will have an effect. Clubs will lose the opportunity to register on the day even for a small race if they need PERMISSION as AI will not be in control. It is encouragement people want, not a slush fund generator that will be distributed without any input from those who contributed. Big Races will be fine as they are costly anyway, it is the small local ones that will suffer.

Enough, I run because I love to, I run where I want to and where I am welcome and loved. I will to continue to follow those rules that have served me well. 

Waterford Half today.  Can’t remember have I run it before…. !!

#pwr