​(Home)Base Training

After finishing my track season in Europe I took a typical end of season break, which usually consists of about ten days completely off from running. Since then I have begun to build into a base phase of training with an eye on competing again in the late fall and winter. With this being a non-World Championships or Olympic year, I planned to end my season about a month earlier than I have the past couple of summers, and I feel like I am “ahead of the game” in terms of base training compared to years past. This fall will represent the longest stretch of training without interruption for races in recent years, and although I am already starting to have mornings where I crave the thrill of competition, overall I am actually enjoying the relaxed atmosphere of building a base without a race looming immediately on the horizon. This season also marks the first time in ten years that I have no had connection whatsoever to the rhythms of a collegiate program, and I have been responding well to the flexibility of having a coach and teammates that can schedule training times and places that allow for travel throughout the greater Sacramento region. I am enjoying very much being able to explore and rediscover different trails and train in a variety of different locations, including finding venues that serve the exact purpose of a training session. There are so many great options for training grounds in this area and I am relishing their diversity. I can’t remember the last I time I really enjoyed simply running as much as I have been these past few weeks. Aside from training, we have been using this time to lay some groundwork for the NorCal Distance Project, and I am feeling very excited about starting this new chapter in the careers of all involved. The first major endeavor that we will make as a group will be an altitude camp this fall in Flagstaff, Arizona. I was impressed with the running options in Flagstaff during my stint there this past spring, and I am looking forward to the prospect of returning…this time with the company of my coach and teammates!