Monday, August 15, 2005

Loops v. out-and-backs

A couple people have commented on my running loops yesterday. Just a few notes on that:

I don't run loops out of my house. Never. I would quit on the second or third loop, for sure. As a fundamentally lazy person, I would find "justifications" for going in early. Nor do I do longer runs on the track that is a couple of blocks from my house. Too close to the comforts of home.

Instead, I run loops starting at a point about 2.4 miles away from my house. From that point, there's a series of 3 different 2.4-mile loops going out in 3 different directions, none of which get me any closer to home. I have to go 2.4 miles to get home. So even if I only do one loop and "quit", I've still done a 7.2-mile run.

There's a place where I can steal cold water from the golf course that is at the center of the loop. There are plenty of places in the bushes if I need to "go". There's even a resort with a soda machine along one of the loops. I carry along salt capsules and some sports gel. I have everything I need, and I depend on no one. No excuses. No easy outs.

On the loop that I always do last, I know where the half-mile marks are because I painted them there on the street once. They've been paved over, but I still know where they are. Even if I've taken lots of walk breaks before that, it's okay. By the time I get to the final loop I've usually got some good LSD mileage on my legs. I time myself on my last 2 to 4 miles out there to make sure that I get in some faster running paces before I turn off towards the final 2.4-mile route home.

If I think I might possibly be tempted to cut short a long run, another technique I have used is to do a long, long out-and-back, but drive out first and stash water bottles along the way. I use rinsed-out used soda bottles that look like trash, hidden underneath bushes. Few people bother those. And I don't take a phone. Nobody is going to come to get me. I go out on my own two feet, and I have to return the same way.

Those are my "no-excuses" techniques of making sure that I don't cut short my long runs. Otherwise, I'd certainly take the easy way out and go home before I'd completed the planned mileage, once it started getting hard. What techniques do you employ to make sure you tough it out on the road once it starts getting REALLY HARD?

6 comments:

UltraMamaC said...

I do one BIG loop around my neighborhood, always heading out at least 2 miles to start with, so that I'm always at least two miles out. I also leave my key behind so I have to ring the bell and wake up the boys if I quit early. I time it so my water bottle is empty when I hit the park, but don't refill it on the first lap. I make myself drink from the fountain only, so that I have to do another loop to get back to the fountain and refill for the trip home. Same kind of tricks you've got.

Anonymous said...

when running okay and not injured I choose one big loop, I have a variety of different areas that I do the loop in but I make sure I never have the option to pike out early and not finish it

Downhillnut said...

I mostly do out-and-backs. I usually feel pretty good in the first half, and I know if I can just get myself out far enough, I'll get back just fine.

Having some friends along has really helped this last few months - that's a very new thing for me and I hope it hasn't spoiled me for doing the long ones on my own.

I don't think I've done a REALLY hard one in a long time. I think there are some ahead, though.

Hollyfish said...

These are GREAT techniques for keeping yourself accountable! I'm going to start doing the same stuff - it makes great sense!

Chris said...

I'm totally with you! I can never go past my house during a workout in fear that it'll call me home and I'll just give in. Out and backs are the way to go! :)

Dr. Iron TriFeist :) said...

OH, it's always an internal committee thing. Usually I tell myself "you don't have to INSERT TASK, I'll try this little thing instead. If I feel good, we'll try a little more but more than likely we'll call it a day." It works best with swims but it comes in handy for the Siren Pillow syndrome as well.

Probably 1 time in 6 I'll cave. That's a lot better than not starting at all or bailing out very early in a workout.