Running11 min
The author trained six days a week: strength gym on Monday, 6–10km group runs on Tuesday, endurance lifting on Wednesday, HIIT intervals on Thursday, light gym work on Friday, and a 25–40km forest run starting at 4:30 AM on Saturday. Sunday was reserved for full rest.
The author struggled to rebuild the same intensity for the 2021 race and linked this to the COVID-19 pandemic — uncertainty, gym risks, being confined at home, and the 2020 race being canceled all disrupted momentum and motivation.
Having a concrete race goal and training with the Runarchy Running Club gave the author external structure and accountability. Without those anchors, he found it much harder to maintain consistent effort, suggesting self-discipline is closely tied to clear purpose and social support.