After looking at my training plan, I have to redo this week. Here is the detailed plan:
Mon: Forced rest (travel).
Tue: 8 miles easy (done yesterday).
Wed: 8+epsilon miles, out of which 5 miles at tempo pace.
Thu: 6.5 miles easy.
Fri: 11 miles midweek long run.
Sat: 6.5 miles easy.
Sun: 16 miles weekend long run.
Wednesday, February 29
Sunday, February 26
Long time no write...
So I didn't skip the run, and it went fine. My ankle did hurt, especially at the beginning, but you can't not run forever... So I ran uphill sprints at VO2 max, and those obviously hurt quite a bit. I did this in Iroquois Park, which has a big hill in the middle and a moderately steep paved road up to the top with no vehicular traffic allowed most of the time. The distance to the top is about 1 to 1.5 miles (depending where you start), so it is a perfect place for the "uphill spring, downhill jog" repetitions. Since you are always faster uphill than downhill, you slowly creep up the hill, but you still pass sometimes the same person multiple times up and down. This happened on Wednesday with a lady walking two small dogs, who, after seeing me like the third time, sprinting uphill with pain on my face, exclaimed with thick French accent: "WHY ARE YOU DOING ZIS??" I was too out of breath to respond... but isn't it funny?
On Thursday, my ankle was actually better, though it still hurt. On Friday I flew to Atlanta, worked all day, and it was just too intense for me to go for any in the evening/afternoon, let alone a 10-mile run. So I didn't run, but on Saturday and Sunday I made up for it by running 10 and 14 miles respectively. I still only finished 47.66 miles instead of the planned 56.
Crap! While writing this I realized that the long run was supposed to be 15 miles... Total disaster for the week then.
OK, maybe it was naive that with an aching ankle and a conference I can do my regular week. Replanning.... I guess I'll just cut the cutback week.
02/27: Week 8, 56 miles instead of 52. Do week 9's long runs, but week 8's LT workout (whatever it is, I'll have to look when I get home).
03/05: Week 7, 57 miles.
03/12: Week 6, 61 miles.
03/19: Week 5, 59 miles.
03/26: Week 4, 52 miles.
04/02: Week 3, 54 miles.
04/09: Week 2, 50 miles.
04/16: Week 1, 46 miles.
04/23: Race week, 37 miles.
So I didn't skip the run, and it went fine. My ankle did hurt, especially at the beginning, but you can't not run forever... So I ran uphill sprints at VO2 max, and those obviously hurt quite a bit. I did this in Iroquois Park, which has a big hill in the middle and a moderately steep paved road up to the top with no vehicular traffic allowed most of the time. The distance to the top is about 1 to 1.5 miles (depending where you start), so it is a perfect place for the "uphill spring, downhill jog" repetitions. Since you are always faster uphill than downhill, you slowly creep up the hill, but you still pass sometimes the same person multiple times up and down. This happened on Wednesday with a lady walking two small dogs, who, after seeing me like the third time, sprinting uphill with pain on my face, exclaimed with thick French accent: "WHY ARE YOU DOING ZIS??" I was too out of breath to respond... but isn't it funny?
On Thursday, my ankle was actually better, though it still hurt. On Friday I flew to Atlanta, worked all day, and it was just too intense for me to go for any in the evening/afternoon, let alone a 10-mile run. So I didn't run, but on Saturday and Sunday I made up for it by running 10 and 14 miles respectively. I still only finished 47.66 miles instead of the planned 56.
Crap! While writing this I realized that the long run was supposed to be 15 miles... Total disaster for the week then.
OK, maybe it was naive that with an aching ankle and a conference I can do my regular week. Replanning.... I guess I'll just cut the cutback week.
02/27: Week 8, 56 miles instead of 52. Do week 9's long runs, but week 8's LT workout (whatever it is, I'll have to look when I get home).
03/05: Week 7, 57 miles.
03/12: Week 6, 61 miles.
03/19: Week 5, 59 miles.
03/26: Week 4, 52 miles.
04/02: Week 3, 54 miles.
04/09: Week 2, 50 miles.
04/16: Week 1, 46 miles.
04/23: Race week, 37 miles.
Wednesday, February 22
Tuesday, February 21
Monday: Rest. My left ankle is misbehaving, so I try to take my rest day in advance. That means I'll have to run through the week: a visitor here all week long, plus the conference in Atlanta in the weekend.
Tuesday: I forgot to bring my Garmin, so I just ran with my watch. I will have to measure the exact distance later: it is a bit over 7 miles. The usual route from work to the intersection of Cardinal Dr and Cross Bill Rd by the golf course in 58:09. The temperature was 50 F and the shoe is my pair of New Balance.
Tuesday: I forgot to bring my Garmin, so I just ran with my watch. I will have to measure the exact distance later: it is a bit over 7 miles. The usual route from work to the intersection of Cardinal Dr and Cross Bill Rd by the golf course in 58:09. The temperature was 50 F and the shoe is my pair of New Balance.
Saturday, February 18
Thursday, February 16
Today I averaged 6:41/mile on my fast 4 miles of the tempo run. Probably the best so far, and it wasn't even that hard. Perfect pace for tempo, progress is good. Weather was absolutely perfect though, 50F and cloudy. I have some nagging small pains in my left leg/ankle, but they didn't last longer than the first 1-2 miles.
Saturday, February 11
A had one my most unpleasant runs today. It was 14 miles in -4 C, but there was a strong northern wind, which was so bad that the weather service reported -12 C wind chill effect. One can easily withstand it for 30 minutes, even an hour, but this run lasted almost two hours. You just can't dress for this weather. I'm glad it's over.
Friday, February 10
Saturday, February 4
Week -12 finished successfully.
Week -11 includes 49 miles again.
Long runs 14 and 10 miles.
VO2 max: 5 x 2:30 moderately steep uphill, jog back in 1:15-2:15. Total of 7 miles.
Easy runs: 3 x 6 miles.
Easy runs between 7:45 and 8:15, long runs are at 8:01 or faster, and the uphill sprints at VO2 max. (Where will I find the hill?)
Week -11 includes 49 miles again.
Long runs 14 and 10 miles.
VO2 max: 5 x 2:30 moderately steep uphill, jog back in 1:15-2:15. Total of 7 miles.
Easy runs: 3 x 6 miles.
Easy runs between 7:45 and 8:15, long runs are at 8:01 or faster, and the uphill sprints at VO2 max. (Where will I find the hill?)
Friday, February 3
I tried a 2 x 2.5 mile tempo intervals yesterday and it went fine until the last 0.5 mile. It was slightly uphill and I just died on it. So I have plenty of place for improvement... My pace was also quite inconsistent - I ran some 6:36 miles and some close to 7 min. The first interval averaged at 6:41/mile, the second one was 6:40 for the first two miles, but the last 0.5 mile brought it down to 6:46/mile.
I also ran most of my HM race route on Monday (almost 10 miles of it). It is very flat, wide streets, long straights, so it is a perfect course for great time.
I also ran most of my HM race route on Monday (almost 10 miles of it). It is very flat, wide streets, long straights, so it is a perfect course for great time.
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