Chunking in running

“Don’t bite off more than one can chew” is sound advice pretty universally. Related is the concept of “chunking.” In cognitive psychology, a chunk is an organizational unit in memory. Applications include UX content processing and improving memory. In (especially BIG) data management, chunking relates to the reorganizing of large multidimensional data sets for both fast and flexible data access. Data chunking also optimizes parallel processing, resulting in performance gains.

It’s the same with running: Don’t bite off more of a run or race than one can mentally chew. Break it down into chunks. Just as chunking in UX design helps with content processing, chunking in running helps with “route/course processing.”

Chunking came to mind during this morning’s long run (16M, week 7 of 16-week training cycle for the Pocono Marathon in May). I ran my usual "intestinal" route for long runs (not those in my immediate neighborhood), which I alternate with various other loop and out-and-back routes. The following map shows ~Miles 3-10 of the front 11 miles of the run. Back end of the run ranges from four to ten miles, depending on the week.

Compared with loop or out-and-back routes, intestinal routes are not necessarily physically easier or faster. But, they are mentally easier, i.e., time and miles seem to go by faster. This is, I think, because the chunks in an intestinal route (i.e., cul-de-sacs) are more naturally visual. Also, intestinal routes have the advantage of more likely to be closer to home, in case of, e.g., sprained ankle or water shortage!

Of course, there are no race courses that are intestinal. So, I’ve to train more to see the less visual chunks in non-intestinal routes (e.g., from this street sign to the next light post) and better able to mentally chew them one by one.

The real breakthrough, though, will be when I figure out how to run those chunks in parallel …