The Hard Volume High

I've started running. It has been a long time since I did any serious endurance training and I had forgotten the feeling of being crushed at the end of an hour of continuous exercise. In a full sweat, exhausted, stunned, heart beat pounding and psychologically in an altered state. You are impressed with what you've accomplished, you climbed the mountain you weren't sure you could get up. It's a powerfully positive state. I had forgotten how good it feels to just grind one out.

But I know that if I want to get better at running, I need to do other types of training. I need to do some repeat work, short distances run as fast as I can. I need to do some hills. But I'd rather not, and that's interesting. I'd rather not for two reasons. First is I know how slow I am and would feel disappointed at the end of the training session. Second, that type of work doesn't give me the "hard volume high." I'll be tired, whipped, but it won't feel as good.

It's also far more results driven, hitting a pace, the rest is timed, I either fail or succeed. Who wants that when I could rather just gut out some long distance and feel charged up after? If I really want to get better, I need to do a variety of work.

Coaches, don't forget what that hard volume high feels like and how your athletes (and you even) can get hooked on it.