12 Weeks to Go - Fatigue & the Heavy Quads (Introducing My New Ska Band)

Just kidding. If you ever hear me say the words "my ska band," it is safe to assume I've been kidnapped and that I am in serious trouble, or worse, am playing trumpet.

No, this was a less fun experience than a ska show, as low as that bar may be. About seven miles into 15K (9.32 mile) long run, I felt the toll of the miles I've done lately really hit me, both mentally and physically. Nothing hurt specifically, though my quads (thighs) felt like they were being filled up with concrete. And mentally I was just.. tired.

As I ran, I started doing some math. Luckily, I had nothing but time. At the end of this run, I'd be at about 48 miles in September. I've done 110 miles in my marathon training plan, which only started in early August. Before this year, I had only once run more than 50 miles in a month. Now, in 2024, I am averaging almost 50 miles a month, and that includes January, when I went for a whole one run of under two miles. I'd be just under 450 miles on the year, more than my two previous highest annual totals added together. None of this accounts for the speed increase I've experienced late this year, shaving about a minute off my average mile.

All this to say, I've run a lot, by my definition, this week, this month, and this year. And at mile 7, I was feeling every one of those miles on my legs. You could have told me I'd run all 450 miles on that run, and I'd have likely believed you.

One of the hardest things a runner can do is NOT run. Be it because of scheduling, injuries (if we even admit there's an injury,) or in my case general fatigue, it's tougher than it sounds. Emotionally, you become relient on that outlet. Highs and lows all get processed and balanced out on the trail. Mentally, runs become when you get to really think introspectively and become an important, almost therapeutic, time. Physically, once your body is as accustomed to the routine as it can get, it can tend (at least for me,) to get jittery, anxious, and uncomfortable. Given that anxiety and discomfort are already default settings for me, it's not an area I needed help in.

This is a known phenomenon in runners, often called Taper Madness. A taper being the period, typically a week or two, before a race when training miles are slashed in an effort to start preserving energy and strength for race day.

Yes, all this was about taking two days off.

I really don't like not running.

I considered calling the run at that point, but that seemed silly, as I still had to cover the remaining distance regardless, if I wanted to get home. So I jog/walked the last couple miles, and honestly was as proud of those miles as all the previous miles on the week. It took more effort, mentally and physically, to get those last two miles done than any other run recently. Sometimes, runs suck, and this one was one of those times. But you can learn a lot more from those than from a run that comes and goes easily. I learned where that line was for me, and that I had the ability and sense to back off.

So, yes, I begrudingly took two whole days off. I went for my first run back today, and was reminded of another of the oldest running mantras, "never trust the first mile." I felt the fatigue and stone legs coming right back, and wondered if I had come back too soon. But a mile in, my mind and body remembered that they know how to do this; and did. Ended a 35 minute run feeling rejuvenated and ready to go.

Fighting past fatigue has it's time and place in distance running, obviously, but knowing when to pick that battle is arguably more important.

I don't have a great way to end this because it feels more like a beginning than an ending. So I'll just say again, never trust the first mile. But you can trust the 7th, or the 447th.