It's not about the numbers

Numbers matter, but they are not everything.  I often end up chasing numbers that I have set for a weekly goal, such as miles, elevation gain or time spent in heart rate zones.  There is nothing wrong with setting goals.  Afterall, it's kind of the point of all of this.  When everything else gets disregarded in pursuit of these numbers is when things can go off the rails like a crazy train.  

Some examples; it doesn't matter if you run 80 miles a week.  What matters is what the quality of recovery after those miles are.  It also doesn't matter how much elevation gain you can do in a single day.  What matters is whether or not your body is adapting to the training load.  

In my very humble opinion, if you can't do the same workout every single day, it's not an easy workout.  If we're not putting in those consistant easy days, we're probably just overtraining and not realizing it.  Then it won't matter what your numbers are.  The only thing that will matter is how badly overtrained you've become.  The only number that will really matter then is how many weeks before your big goal you'll have to correct the problem.  Which will mean forced time off and not training.

Start easy and make progress.  Set goals but don't be a slave to the numbers.  If regular life stress is getting in the way of hitting that goal this week, push that goal out a week or two and take some recovery.  Mentally and physically, you'll feel better.

It's not about the numbers.  It's about feeling recovered for the big workouts.  It's about being ready when it matters most!

F___ around and find out. Literally.

Do that tempo run the day before your long run.  Maybe do that 20 mile long run the week before your mountaineering objective.  Maybe don't worry about bringing enough food on that 20 mile run.  Seriously though, how can you REALLY learn without making some REAL mistakes.  With the ultimate goal of adaptation to an objective in mind, how can you possibly know how you'll feel when the big day arrives?

Hope for the best, plan for the worst and do everything you can to be ready.  But along the way, don't be afraid to F___ around.  You will find out.  Probably disregard that if you're going for an FKT or world record or something.  For myself and having no natural ability and having to train really hard just to have a chance, experimentation has been key in finding out what works and what does not.

Forgetting gear, getting off route, not sleeping enough, bonking... None of these sound like fun.  I'm not saying to set yourself up for failure, but when shit happens it forces you to adapt.  Adaptation to the objective you're planning is the purpose of training.  All training is, is an experiment.  Have you ever stayed up too late the night before a long run?  Lession learned, right?  Okay, in my case maybe not.

I've pretty much made every mistake in the book.  I have an excellent track record of learning things THE HARD WAY.  When shit happens, you will adapt and you will build character.  Take some risks in training and get out of your comfort zone well before the big day.  I can personally varify that the more you F___ around, the more you will in fact find out.