What We’re Moving Through
A coach’s reflections on hills, hesitation, and finding contentment in the basics.
For the last six months, I’ve been put through the ringer. Only recently have I started to notice my life stabilizing (wow, does it feel good).
As a coach, now in my third year, I’m realizing the toll that going all in on your goals can take. Some athletes have been with me throughout this time, witnessing a variety of coaching theories take shape in their training as I’ve evolved and adapted my style. They’ve continued to trust Inner Lane to play a role in their lives.
In this third year, I can now approach coaching with humble confidence. I’ve seen, time and again, how training progresses and how profoundly having a coach can impact someone’s life.
As a runner, the last six months have been humbling. From getting sick and dropping out of TSP to having a less-than-ideal marathon day in St. Louis, I’ve had to hold my goals lightly.
I’ve had to come back to the basics, to why I run and why I pursue it in the way I do. This movement helps me feel at ease with myself and my ambitions. It gets to change. Sometimes it’s there for the sake of consistency; other times it’s for the reality of competition and progress.
In letting go of my tightly wound ideals, I’ve found a lot of contentment in my runs. I’ve been okay with them not feeling great, doing strides just for the heck of it, and running as a commute when that’s all I have time for.
Yes, I’m training, but no, I’m not exactly training for race day. I’m training for my longevity and to deepen my love for this movement.
During these months, I hesitated to reflect, but I’m diving back into this practice now, with the goal of posting weekly (please hold me to it).
So now, onto:
What We’re Moving Through
Let me say, running on grass is so fun. There’s something so childlike about running through the grass, feeling your ankles wobble with the give of the earth.
Last year, on a run that I wasn’t quite sure where it was leading, I stumbled upon Horner Park. With a clear 1-mile loop, a compact gravel trail lined with wildflowers, plenty of water fountains, and a decent (for Chicago) grassy hill, I knew I’d found my new favorite training location.
This week, I ran to the park, completed a mile of up-and-over hill repeats, followed by a recovery loop around the park, and then returned for another mile of repeats.
My legs felt loose and ready as the elevation changed, letting speed go and focusing on the continuous effort. Hills can be such a great opportunity to lock into an effort pace and flow with what’s in front of you while building running economy.
Conversations We’re Still Thinking About
“Are you nervous about doing your strides?” I asked an athlete, noticing they ended their run without completing this burst of speed.
Often during my weekly athlete calls, the topics become somewhat repetitive. This reminds me how similar runners are, regardless of the differences in their goals, intentions, running styles, and paces.
Strides were a major topic of conversation this week, with a variety of hesitations and reservations about the speed. I noticed this in myself as well!
Sometimes, finishing a run, the last thing you want to do is open up your stride and push the pace. At the end of a longer run this week (with the hills at Horner Park), I was dreading my pre-scheduled strides. On the first one, I convinced myself I was “too tired” and came in nearly two minutes per mile slower than my usual goal. On the next three, I let myself get out of my head and push the pace. I never reached the desired pace I was looking for on my fatigued legs, but finally, the effort was there.
Yes, strides are about improving top-end speed, but they’re also about committing to an effort that seems tougher than you think you can handle, even if it’s just for 15 seconds.
What’s Fueling Us
Carbs! Well, really, I mean Carbs Fuel.
I used Carbs for the first time this week during a 10-mile run, taking one at the 20- and 50-minute marks. While it was slightly sweeter than the Precision Gels I’m accustomed to, I experienced great energy throughout the run with no gastrointestinal distress.
The major benefit of Carbs is their cost efficiency. I don’t need to say this, but running can be expensive with some gels nearly $5 per packet; these long runs add up. Carbs is interrupting the fuel space with a cost-efficient and well-crafted product.
I’m looking forward to trying their gel with electrolytes next!
Reminder that Inner Lane is now a The Feed run club! Don’t forget to redeem your credits toward your fueling purchases.
What We’re Reading, Watching, or Listening To
Reading: I’m finally back to being a bookworm and loving it. Currently reading The Lowland by Jhumpa Lahiri. With this being one of several books of hers that I have read, I’ve decided she’s my favorite author.
Watching: Tour de France!!!! The highs! The lows! The sprints! The climbs! I love it all — peak performance on display.
Listening: Generally, if I’m listening to music on a run, it’s a DJ set. I love how effortless it is to immerse into the sound, trusting the DJ to curate the time. It’s the perfect blend of familiarity and discovery. DJ Ahadadream’s Boiler Set was my mix this week!
Events & Ways to Connect
Office Hours: Jones Track, Thursdays 6–8 am.
This week, on July 24th, we will be running 800s and cleaning up the track.
Next week, July 31, Kasey McKenney from Ethos, will be talking all things sports acupuncture with demos. The workout is a pyramid building from 600, 800, 1000, 1200.
Want to chat about training or learn more about Inner Lane? Connect with us!
Happy Running,
Marina & the Inner Lane team