Part 1: The Comeback
1365 days. That is exactly 3 years, 8 months, and 26 days since I last toed the line at Run Melbourne in 2022.
Did I have any idea it would be that long before I raced again? Absolutely not. But life, as it often does, had other plans.
The Burnout
2022 was supposed to be my “epic year.” I had it all mapped out: The Warburton Trail Festival, a half-marathon, and then Melbourne Marathon.
But then, COVID hit during my peak training weeks. I downgraded my marathon goal to a half, but eventually, I just gave my ticket away.
The joy was gone. Between building a house, living with my in-laws, daily work commutes, and navigating the complexities of perimenopause, running stopped being a sanctuary and started feeling like another “hard” thing on a never-ending to-do list. I stopped running with purpose and just started “rotating” through 5km and 10km plans to keep the legs moving.
The Spark
It took a trip to Tasmania in January 2024 to find the fire again. There was something about those trails that reignited the spark, but I knew I couldn’t jump straight back into racing.
If I was going to do this, I had to do it right. I needed to build a foundation. It wasn’t about speed; it was about time on my feet and finding a balance between work, home, and training.
My “Less is More” Strategy
I moved to a plan that actually worked for my life:
- 3 Run Days: A long trail run, a speedwork session, and an easy run (with strides/drills).
- 3 Gym Days: This was non-negotiable. I focused on compound movements like squats and deadlifts. I made sure to work the upper body, too, because I knew those poles were going to be working overtime on the hills.
I logged training miles everywhere: Mt Rosea, Bim, Werdug. I practised fueling (Waffles, fruit pouches, Vert Nutrition—the works). I even had a “near-miss” where I misread my own diary and almost did a 19km run instead of the planned 24km. Thanks to a local trail group and a last-minute GPX download, I squeezed out 21km of training on the Werdug loop.
I didn’t have the “perfect” preparation, but I had enough. I learned to trust the process and, more importantly, trust myself.
Stay tuned for Part 2, where I head to Adelaide to break the drought at the 5 Peaks Trail Festival, finally!
