97. Different pace

how doing things the same is detrimental.

When I first got into running I thought the best approach was to run my fastest every single run.

I did that for a bit and achieved some Personal Bests.

But then I plateaued.

Was this because I didn’t have the capacity to go faster?

No, it was because I didn’t have a variety that would enable me to perform consistently, be more competitive, and accomplish new goals.

We often get told to do the same thing every single day and become a master.

And I agree with that to a certain extent…

Rather than just relying on one action, you need to choose your focus and then work on it holistically rather than on the fun aspects of it.

Like a bodybuilder trains all muscles, you must train all parts of the skill.

It is still focused but just adding variety.

So for me, I don’t play basketball one day, then do football, then run. I’d never progress in anything.

No, I run every day- but I have different paces- each with its own purpose.

The consequence is that not only does my overall fitness go up, but I enjoy being able to try different workouts, and my body can rest whilst still improving. It definitely doesn't come naturally and requires effort to slow down and do things you wouldn’t usually tend to do; but practice makes everything more enjoyable.

Different paces enable the hard effort to really be hard and the gains to be made.

So be sure to make space for variety in your week, you can thank me for the PB later.