There are a couple of things to remember when you pursue a
career in track and field:
1.
It is short lived.
2.
If you think you are invincible, you’re not. But take advantage while it lasts.
According to Letsrun, 25 is the Golden Age—where experience
meets the young-buck strength. 26 is over-the-hill. Or if you happen to be
lucky like Kara Goucher or Bernard Lagat, it is when your old-man strength
kicks in.
LITTLE BABY PROFESH
1. Mileage: QUICK. And they want to ramp it up. The more they hurt, the fitter they get?
2. Warm-ups and recovery pace are quick. The quicker “easy” is, the quicker “hard” will be?
3. Overly competitive in practice. They MUST win the interval.
4. Rehab exercises are for chumps.
5. Core only consists of crunches and planks.
6. Tune up meets are life and death.
7. Job: Run fast.
8. They feel invincible. Even tired they can rock a hard workout.
9. Watches competitor’s Workout Wednesday and says, “Easy. I can do that.”
10. Competitors are enemies.
11. Can’t see life beyond next race.
12. Doesn’t drink coffee.
13. Neurotic about food.
14. Counts the prize money before it’s won.
15. Acupuncture?
16. Gets dolled up before every race.
17. Flight delay!? How am I ever going to race well?!
18. No time for cards.
.
1. Mileage: QUICK. And they want to ramp it up. The more they hurt, the fitter they get?
2. Warm-ups and recovery pace are quick. The quicker “easy” is, the quicker “hard” will be?
3. Overly competitive in practice. They MUST win the interval.
4. Rehab exercises are for chumps.
5. Core only consists of crunches and planks.
6. Tune up meets are life and death.
7. Job: Run fast.
8. They feel invincible. Even tired they can rock a hard workout.
9. Watches competitor’s Workout Wednesday and says, “Easy. I can do that.”
10. Competitors are enemies.
11. Can’t see life beyond next race.
12. Doesn’t drink coffee.
13. Neurotic about food.
14. Counts the prize money before it’s won.
15. Acupuncture?
16. Gets dolled up before every race.
17. Flight delay!? How am I ever going to race well?!
18. No time for cards.
.
GERIATRIC PROFESH
1. Mileage: Consistent. Fast when they feel like going fast, slow when they feel like going slow.
2. Warm-ups and recovery paces are kept easy.
3. Practice has an intention, and rarely are practices are go-to-the-well status.
4. They have an entire PT rehab routine done daily.
5. Core has expanded to include hips and glutes.
6. Tune up meets are treated as practice.
7. Job: Connect with people and runners
8. Run with caution. They are not able to rock a workout tired. They back off instead.
9. Watches competitor’s Workout Wednesday and says, “Oh Look! Sarah Brown looks so good! I’m happy for her.”
10. Competitors are lifelong friends.
11. Can see (and has) life outside of running.
12. Trips to Europe have created yet another coffee snob.
13. Relaxed about food and effortlessly maintains a balanced diet. A nightly glass of wine is good for the heart.
14. Prize money is icing on the cake.
15. Acupuncture works.
16. This ain't no pageant show! They look how they want.
17. Flight delay? Cool.
18. Knows every card game in the book. Plus Catan.
1. Mileage: Consistent. Fast when they feel like going fast, slow when they feel like going slow.
2. Warm-ups and recovery paces are kept easy.
3. Practice has an intention, and rarely are practices are go-to-the-well status.
4. They have an entire PT rehab routine done daily.
5. Core has expanded to include hips and glutes.
6. Tune up meets are treated as practice.
7. Job: Connect with people and runners
8. Run with caution. They are not able to rock a workout tired. They back off instead.
9. Watches competitor’s Workout Wednesday and says, “Oh Look! Sarah Brown looks so good! I’m happy for her.”
10. Competitors are lifelong friends.
11. Can see (and has) life outside of running.
12. Trips to Europe have created yet another coffee snob.
13. Relaxed about food and effortlessly maintains a balanced diet. A nightly glass of wine is good for the heart.
14. Prize money is icing on the cake.
15. Acupuncture works.
16. This ain't no pageant show! They look how they want.
17. Flight delay? Cool.
18. Knows every card game in the book. Plus Catan.
Every year you sacrifice a piece of your durability for a large chunk of experience. Excellent trade-off. At least until you are 26 anyway ; )
Follow-up question: Cards? Or House of Cards?
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