Breaching 800 Miles

With today’s 6.42-mile run at an 8:11 pace, I’ve officially crossed the 800-mile mark for the year. With about two and a half months left, I’m averaging 84 miles a month in 2025 and am on pace to break 1,000 miles before the year is out.

That said, I can feel the faint stirrings of a motivation crisis. With no more 5:20 a.m. cross-country wakeups for Maya, I’ve lost my built-in reason to get up early. Stepping out into the darkness at 6:30 isn’t exactly inviting, and once the cold sets in, it’ll be even tougher. My River to River relay team seems to be finished for good, taking away one more reason to stay sharp. And with the state cross-country meet coming up this Saturday, it feels like a symbolic end to the season—and maybe to my running momentum as well.

The truth is, I don’t have anything specific I’m training for right now. That’s not necessarily a bad thing, but it does make it harder to lace up on those days when the couch is calling. If I’m just running for fitness, then why push through an 11-miler on the weekend?

Still, I can’t deny that I feel strong. My fitness is the best it’s been in a while, and the scale is finally trending in the right direction after years of frustration. When I eventually break 20 minutes in the 5K again—and maybe even inch closer to 18:30—I’ll know the miles were worth it.

Going longer

This weekend I pushed the boundary again — another double-digit run in the books. I clocked 11.13 miles in 1:30:02, averaging an 8:05 pace. More importantly, I broke through a mental barrier by tackling my big loop course for the first time. That route takes me 5.75 miles away from home, which means once you’re out there, there’s no easy exit — you either run it back or you’re in for a very long walk.

It couldn’t have been a better fall day. After the first couple of miles, I settled into a rhythm and just enjoyed being out there. The pace was steady with a slight negative split — starting around 8:20–8:15 per mile and finishing with a few miles under 8:00. By the time my watch hit 1:30, I still felt strong and smooth, even though my heart rate had crept up to 171 bpm — higher than expected for how relaxed the effort felt.

At that point, I decided to call it. No need to push into the red and risk carrying fatigue forward. Still, I might have waited a little too long to back off because Sunday’s 3.4 miles at 8:46 pace felt sluggish, and this morning’s 2.3 miles at 9:22 pace were slower yet. Hopefully by tomorrow I’ll be ready for an easy five and a proper reset.

Overall, my training intensity has been pretty low. I’m not doing much speed work, and the only time my heart rate really spikes is during these longer efforts when cardiac drift takes over. Lately, I haven’t had the urge to run fast — I just enjoy running long. There’s something about settling in, finding that flow, and seeing how far the legs can go.

If I keep stacking mileage and building endurance, I know the speed will come when it’s ready. I’ll probably jump into a race or two in November, but the long-term plan is simple: make it through the winter strong, maintain or build my weekly mileage, keep the weight trending the right direction, and set myself up to really go after it in 2026.

There’s still a lot of work ahead, but this weekend’s run felt like a real step forward — not just in distance, but in confidence.  Sometimes you just have to put yourself out in no man's land and stop giving yourself the easy way out to initiate a breakthrough.

Maintain or Push Forward?

Increase training or keep maintaining? That’s the question.

Despite being in “Maintaining” status, my estimated VO₂ max has been inching upward again. After sitting at 51 for over a month, it’s now up to 52. Following several weeks of fatigue and poor sleep, I’ve finally shaken off the jet lag and am feeling sharp, rested, and energized. My legs feel fresh—a rare place to be.

Today I followed Garmin Coach’s recommendation for a 30-minute recovery run. The suggested pace was 10:55 per mile, but I averaged 9:07 with a heart rate of 129. It felt effortless. My “base run” pace is listed at 9:05—also a pace I typically surpass—which makes me wonder: maybe my base runs should feel more like this recovery run?

Mileage-wise, I’ve been holding steady. A few months ago, 100 miles per month was the goal. Now, after three straight months of hitting it, it’s starting to feel more like treading water. Maybe it’s time to set a new target—150 miles?

Progress isn’t always about doing more. Sometimes it’s about listening closely enough to know when to hold steady and when to move forward.

Maintaining Is Still Progress

According to Garmin, I’ve been in “Maintaining” status for a couple of weeks now. After nine months of steady VO₂ max improvements, it seems I’ve hit a plateau.

I could switch things up to chase more gains, but honestly, maintaining might be exactly what I need right now. My mileage has been solid, but I’m not eager to pile on more volume or intensity—especially with a lingering ache in my left calf/Achilles that refuses to fade.

Despite the lull in progress, there are still small wins. I ran eight miles on Sunday at a 7:47 pace—a hard but controlled effort. I’m also on a 37-day step streak that started at the end of August, and while October has begun a bit slower, I’m still on pace for around 116 miles this month.

Between middle school basketball games, later sunrises, and morning chauffeur duty for cross country and cheer practice, the days are long and the mornings short.

Running performance isn’t everything. Sometimes life takes priority, and in those moments, simply maintaining is enough. For now, I’ll focus on the positives and keep playing the long game.

Silence, Hills, and Small Superpowers

It used to be that I ran with headphones on every single run.

Lately, I’ve ditched them, opting instead for silence.

Surprisingly, there have been some real benefits. Running without music gives my mind space to wander and provides a welcome break from the constant stimulation of modern life. I’ve also become more in tune with my surroundings—especially the approach of traffic, which is a nice safety bonus. And during both easy and hard runs, I can focus more on my form and pacing without the distraction.

The only time I still pull out the headphones is for the occasional weekend long run. In those moments, the novelty of music or a podcast makes the run feel a little more fun.

Will this no-headphones streak last? Probably not forever. Winter is coming, and I can’t imagine grinding through treadmill miles without some form of entertainment. But for now, I’m enjoying the silence.

Today’s run: 5.08 miles in 43 minutes. My latest fitness “superpower”? Tackling steep hills without feeling wiped out afterward.