I'll start with the great news. Today I ran 10.25 miles, my first time in double digit mileage since September 27, 2009 (3 days before the first stress fracture). It felt grrrrrrrrreat! Even in the 94 degree heat (with 103 degree heat index). Even after biking 33 miles. I'd like to think I'm back in the running saddle again.
So for this biweekly update I thought I'd try something new. Instead of grouping things by sport, I'll do it by day.
Monday, July 5. Still at Bethany Beach. Having already run 3 days in a row with Jordana, I thought it best to skip Monday and not run 4 days in a row. Instead, we went to one of the pools, and I cranked out 1650 meters. It was nice, except one swimmer asked me if we could start circling (there were already two of us sharing the lane). I said OK and began to circle. Unfortunately, she never told the other swimmer we were circling and I had a minor head-on collision mid-pool. Oh well. It happens.
Tuesday, July 6. The forecast was for near 100 degrees, so I opted to run 6.21 miles at 6am. Running alone, I was just under 8 min/mile pace.
Wed, July 7. Same forecast, same run. 6.19 miles at surprisingly the exact same pace.
Thur, July 8. 45 minutes on the bike trainer at 5:30am (Jordana had already left for her weekly 10 mile MT run). At night, master's swim: 500m warmup; 2 x 200m (kick/stroke/kick/stroke; drill/swim/drill/swim); 8 x 50m + 3 x 100m; 6 x 50m + 3 x 100m; 4 x 50m kick; 2 x 200m IM; 2 x 100m cool down. Total of 3000m. I called it a "cool down" but that was hard to do in a bathwater temperature pool. Even the big 50meter pool we swim in during the summer gets hot pretty quick in the record heat.
Friday, July 9. A cool front came in so I ran my miles at lunch. My colleague Larry and I did our standard 6.33 mile memorials course at 9 min/miles. Larry was getting worried that he was slowing me down, but as I've explained previously, my new mantra is more miles at slower pace.
I think one of the causes of my stress fractures was overtraining -- not so much in the mileage department, but the pace department. After all, Jordana runs more miles than I do (she runs close to 50 mile weeks, while I am in the low 40s) but at a slower pace (even for her). That's what her coach swears by -- high mileage, low pace. So, my monday run will be closer to 9s. Wed will be my "fast" day. Friday, maybe try marathon pace run. Sunday, long steady distance.
Sat July 10. We were invited to friends for lunch. So I took a total day off. I guess I earn that every once in a while.
Sun, July 11. Brick workout. 33.87 miles on the bike (from my house to the intersection of Beach Drive and Calvert just pass the National Zoo tunnel), followed by 8.05 miles run at a 7:30 pace. As far as the run, went I did the fast pace first to see if I could. Could I run something approaching a race pace (1 min/mile slower than my pre-injury 10K pace) after spending 2 hours on the bike? Nice to know the answer was yes. Second, I needed to get back because we were taking Jordana to the airport for her 10 day trip to Paris (the dedicated runner that she is, she put in 36 miles while there).
As far as the bike goes, I've been trying to apply some tips from Triathlete magazine. Most runners who start tri's tend to ride the bike in highest gear at a low cadence and just try to power through. All they end up doing is wearing themselves out before the run portion, while not achieving phenomenal speed. That was my result in previous bricks. So this time I rode in lower gear (I don't think I used the big gear up front) and focussed on keeping my cadence up (aiming for low 80's/upper 70's). The result was an average speed of 17.21 mph -- my fastest on Beach Drive (the previous week was on the pancake flat Coastal Hwy in Bethany Beach).
Monday July 12. Ran 6.33 miles with Larry at 9 minute pace.
Tue, July 13. 45 minutes on the bike trainer.
Wed , July 14. Ran 6.33 miles. Started out with Larry and another colleague Jim at 9 minute pace. At the 2.5 mile mark (Lincoln Memorial), Jim turned around to do 5 miles. Larry continued the memorials run at 9s, and I kicked it up for a tempo run. I had no garmin (Jordana was using it in Paris), so am not sure what my pace was but my guess was low 7's, as my overall pace for the run was 7:47 (I'm too lazy to calculate what the pace for the last 3.8 miles needed to be to turn a 9 min/mile into a 7:47 min/mile).
I think the slower warmup was good. Every workout training plan I've seen always recommends a mile or so warmup at lower pace before doing a tempo run. Of course, I have ignored that advice every marathon training season and we see where that got me. So from now on, I'll stick with my colleague for around 2 or so miles before punching it.
Thur, July 15. 30 minutes on the trainer (spent too much time on the phone with Jordana). For masters swim (babysitter to watch the kids): 400 m warmup; 3 x 100m (alternate 50m build/50 easy); 300m, 2 x 200m, 3 x 100m; 200m IM, 2 x 100m IM, 4 x 50m (alternate free and breast); 8 x 50m kick; 6 x 50m (alternate 80% effort/100% effort); 100m cool down. Total= 3100m total.
I was the pace leader for all but the IMs and kick (I was last in the kicks). When I finished the first of the 6 50's my left calf totally cramped up at the wall. I could feel it contracted. I had to do the back 50 doing just my arms. It took another 50 before I could use the leg again. Spent the rest of the evening icing the calf and using the roller to loosen it up. Man it was sore.
Fri, July 16. 6.33 miles at 7:20 pace. Surprisingly, I did not feel the calf at all. Although it hurt like the dickens when I woke up. That night, heat and the roller massage.
Sat, July 17. The in-laws babysat the kids so I could get my 3300 meter long lap swim at the JCC. Haven't done that in a while. Followed it with a nice steam -- yes, even when the air temp is in the upper 90s, I still enjoy relaxing in the steam room after I swim.
Sun, July 18. Brick workout: 33.28 miles on the bike and 10.25 mile run. I continued to focus on the cadence. Although this time, I kept the bike in the upper gears -- big gear up front, but bigger gears in back. I would aim for a low 80s cadence and when that felt easy to maintain, I would up the gear and repeat. I never got into the highest gear except on the downhills. The result, an overall speed of 17.78 mph, so it looks like this technique is working.
It was powerfully hot -- 94 degrees with 103 degree heat index when I started the run portion. Luckily I was carrying water. I maintained an 8:09 pace, which is probably where I should be for long runs. Maybe getting a bit worn out on the bike is a good way to force myself to run long steady distance.
So there you have it sports fans. Next week: Rocketts Landing Triathlon. I feel pretty confident that I will perform well.
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
No comments:
Post a Comment