Tuesday, March 27, 2012

Seven posts on distance running

One discovery I've made as a blogger is the way certain themes and ideas seem to crop up repeatedly in one's work. If nothing else, it may indicate where one's passion lies, perhaps pointing bloggers who don't yet know their passion in a useful direction.

At any rate, distance running has proved a fruitful theme on der blaue Berg, and as such I think it would be useful to bring those disparate entries together into a single post for convenience sake. Below are 7 posts on distance running:

Overtraining
Peaking
Barefoot running
Weight-training
Talent vs.Training
Jack Daniels Coaching
Training Theory

Permeating all them is, I believe, the idea that experimentation and observation are important practices for distance runners wanting to actuate their potential ability in the sport. At its base, training of this kind is an exercise in applied theory, coupled with self-understanding. In more practical terms, understanding yourself and your training needs is at least as important as understanding training theory, because the best training theories do not dictate or prescribe, but rather offer insight into a spectrum of possible courses you might take. This leaves each individual to weigh the options and evidence as they figure out their goals, and the ways in which they might reach them.

On another level, the entries listed above also assume a certain degree of fragility when approaching the practice of training. This is by no means a universal approach (many people assume strength when they design a training program), but one that learning and experience have led me to believe. It does not mean that humans are too frail to train at a high level. Rather, it is an approach that appreciates the limitations of the human mind and body, seeking above all to offer nourishment and support to these faculties as they grow through time.

With that said, perhaps these entries will be of use to you.

Happy Tuesday, friends :)

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