Pick it Up

My training schedule has just recently started incorporating a little bit of speed work. Not full fledged intervals or anything, just little reminders to my legs that they can do more than long, slow runs. Yesterday I was scheduled to run 5 miles easy with 5 strides. After a similar workout last week, I decided that I don't like to run strides at the end of my run. It's like telling someone they can have dessert if they finish dinner, then making them eat 5 pieces of broccoli first. I want my dessert as soon as I finish dinner!

So this week, I thought I would try picking up my speed for around 30 seconds throughout my run. My husband mentioned that this is actually what the pros do. Sign me up for that. I started out at a sub-10 pace and about 1 mile into it decided to run about 90% for 30 seconds. It felt pretty good. I slowed back to my pace just until I felt recovered, then ran another pick up. I did this a total of 4 times for what ended up being a 3.4 mile run. Why not 5 times for a 5 mile run? You try explaining to a 16 month old as we pass a playground that mommy has a little more to run. Life is too short for that, so we veered off, cut the run short and took my son to play. Now that is a pick (me) up.  

Forget It

I am still tired from no sleep yesterday, I had a dentist appointment this morning and some errands to run this afternoon, my husband was off of work today, and I just did not feel like running today. So I didn't, and I'm cool with that. See you tomorrow, Park. 

Tiiiiiirrrreeeedddd

My son woke from his slumber screaming before my head even hit the pillow for the first time, and I was up with him all night. So, needless to say, I was completely exhausted today...and crabby. I managed to eek out a slow, tired, heavy-footed 4 miler that I hesitate to even record in my log book (sighs to herself). He will be all grown up one day...

Quick Trip

As previously blogged, I have decided to keep my weekly mileage pretty even until I feel I am able to handle an increase, so I knew this week I was only going to do around 32-34 miles, and with 8 in my pocket from yesterday and 14 on the horizon for Saturday, I don't have a lot to run in between. 

So. Today a friend of mine called and wanted to meet at a local museum for a free children's function for our kids, and I thought sure why not, I'll just run over there and be done with it for today. So I loaded up the kiddo in the jogger and out the door, across the park to the East side I went. We had a fabulous time hanging out and I logged 2 miles to boot. Fine by me. 

Ocho Loco

I did crazy eight hills this morning. That's not a real thing, I just made it up but I did run an 8 mile hill work out around and around and around the North Hills...about 4 times. I completed the workout in 75:40, a 9:34 pace. I was quite elated with this run because A) it is the longest hill workout to date and B) I was able to perform well after my long run 2 days ago. If this run was a litmus test, I have achieved a quick recovery and will have a good week of training. Finally.

Unscheduled Off Day

After yesterday's run, I was scheduled to run 5 miles easy today to round out my week with 38 miles. I feel like I am increasing my mileage before my body can adjust to the new stresses each week. My training schedule follows the logic, in part, of increasing each week for 3 consecutive weeks, then decreasing for a "down" week (recovery).

I've been having an ongoing conversation with my husband (the sub-elite runner, remember) about this and he mentioned the method that Jack Daniels, PhD suggests in which you don't introduce a new stress until your body acclimates to your current level. In this case, instead of upping your mileage every week by, say, 10%, you keep the same weekly mileage for a few weeks, until your body adjusts, then up all of your daily runs the next week such that the sum is greater than a 10% increase but your body is ready for that next jump. So on and so forth.

I think I am going ti implement this logic, which means instead of running today I am taking a day off. My weekly mileage sits at 33. Last week it was 33. Next week it will be 32. The week after that it jumps back up if I complete all of the scheduled runs. Hopefully my body will have adjusted at this level to enable me to increase appropriately.  

Good, Not Great

This week's long run was masses better than last week's, but it was still quite tough. I got up early and was out the door by 6:50am, knowing that it was going to take me over 2 1/2 hours to complete 16 miles. I was feeling optimistic, but tired. My first lap around the park I just felt like my legs were so tired that they were pretending to still be nestled under the covers sleeping. Finally, around 5 miles, I started to loosen up and was able to pick up the pace. I came through my first 5.2 in 53 flat, a sorry 10:12 pace.

As I started on my second loop, I was conscience of the fact that I needed to run a negative split for the next 5.2 miles. I made that my focus. Happily, my husband pulled up beside me with my son in his bike seat around mile 7 and rode alongside until I completed the second loop. What a treat. I came through mile 10.4 at 1:44:35, which means I was able to significantly pick up the pace and manage a 9:54.

Less than 6 to go. I was already feeling it,  but again it was not as bad as last week. My legs were aching, but I felt like I could push through and hold my pace to complete the run. With 2 miles left, I bonked and wanted to quit. Take the short cut home...but I didn't. I finished the 16 miles in 2:38.34, a 9:54 pace. Good.

What I am curioius to see is how long it takes me to recover. Last week it took 6 days until I felt fully recovered, which is unacceptable to me. My hope is that this week, even though the run was tough, I will recover more quickly. I really am anxious to start seeing gains in my fitness.

Nada

I did absolutely nothing today and it felt great. My legs finally feel back to normal today, which is encouraging since I did the quick hill workout yesterday despite still feeling sore from last Saturday. Time to rest up fpr the 16 miler tomorrow. Up until today I was dreading this long run because it has taken me so long to recover this week, but today I am feeling optimistic. Let's hope the running gods smile upon me tomorrow...say around 7am?

Ready, Set, Hills!

I had an incredibly busy day planned today, so I knew when I went to bed last night that I would need to get up early this morning and get my run in...a 7 mile hill workout. I was already looking forward to my off day Friday and Thursday had not even come yet...needless to say I am not a morning person in any sense of the word...

I almost always set my alarm for my husband to get up for his run at 5am, as I did this morning, plus I had a second alarm set for 6:30am for myself thinking that I would be ready to go by 7 and my husband would be back by 7...I snoozed for 30 minutes, but was indeed ready to go running shortly after. Problem was I failed to inform my husband of my plan, and let's face it he knows I do not go running in the morning.  He did not get back from his run until 7:30, and he still had to take out the dogs, get ready for work and leave by 8:50. Yikes, better make this a quick workout and squeeze as many miles as I can around the North Hills. 

I took off, literally starting my run from the door and hit the park already at a good clip. Not only was I constrained by time to get back and relieve my husband, but I also wanted to try and beat the 8am traffic when the park opens up the west drive to commuters. Did I mention it was already 7:30am?

Straight to the North Hills I went, hoping I could run them in a "U" shape instead of a loop to get the most bang for my buck in the time I had...oh and also there was a movie being shot on the 102nd transverse which makes up part of my usual loop, so I needed to avoid that at all costs. Annoying.

I managed to get in 2 1/2 "Us" before the traffic hit, and hoofed it through the last one to round out my 3. This put me on the East side, away from frantic, obtuse commuters but also opposite the side of the park I live. So I ran South on the East drive and cut through above the reservoir, stuck to the bridle path on the bit of the West side I had to run, and again ran literally to the door. 

When I walked in my apartment, exhausted, the clock said 8:24. Just enough time. Whew, what a workout. I ended up covering 5.6 miles in about 50 minutes. That's an 8:55 pace people! 

Switching It Up

I was scheduled to run a 7 mile hill workout today. Not happening. My legs have STILL not recovered from last week's long run and it is really starting to irritate me. I knew I would not be able to hammer out a hill workout, of any length, so I looked at my schedule for the week and plucked my 5 mile easy run from Friday and decided to do that today.  My plan is to try the hill workout tomorrow (a scheduled rest day) and then rest on Friday to prepare for my long run Saturday. We will see how that works out. 

I ended up with 5.1 today in 52:13, so a 10:24 pace (9:58 pace scheduled). At the end of this day I am just thankful to be writing any mileage down in my log book.