We all know we should accept where our current fitness is when racing. If you don’t, you’ll go out over your head and the race experience won’t be good.
However, some of us have trouble accepting that we should also be training based on our current fitness level. We want to train to the level we believe we “should” be at or we want to train at the level we want to race at months from now.
This is a mistake.
Effective training happens when you train according to your current fitness level. You train at your current capacity, incrementally push your fitness to a higher level, then adjust your training accordingly. You gradually work your way up the ladder of fitness until you’ve climbed each step to the level you want to be.
If you try to skip steps on the ladder or try to take the big step to the top, you lose balance and fall off. In the case of your running, you end up burned out or injured.
There’s a good argument for running goal race pace but do little enough or with long enough recoveries to meet your current fitness level. Don’t try to force things and get ahead of your fitness.
Remember, train to your current fitness level in order to push your fitness up to the level you need to meet your goals. Take one step of the ladder at a time and don’t think you can skip steps.