12/17-12/23

Even though I was tired most of the week things really improved by the end of the week. I had my highest mileage yet and had a decent workout despite feeling tired. I would like to go over 70 miles next week since I will not be working and can sneak in a nap each afternoon and possibly some morning runs (not likely).

Monday: 10mi (72:26) It was wet, windy and really slippery running on the ice and snow so this was a real slow one. I am so tired of running in the cold on packed snow.

Tuesday: 10.2mi (68:57) Finally got to run on a surface that did not slip back half a step each stride. Easy run to recover from the last two days.

Wednesday: 11.2mi - 2.9mi warm-up, 10k threshold run (33:58), 2.1mi cool down. I was not sure how this was going to go because I was a bit tired from the last couple days and the wind was pretty strong on the back stretch of the track. I almost bailed at 5km but things loosened up after 2.5-3 miles and I finished much better than I started. Splits were: 5:29, 5:29, 5:27, 5:27, 5:24, 5:26, 74. I felt pretty good after the workout but will take it really easy the next two days.

Thursday: 10.5mi (73:10) Recovery run.

Friday: 10mi (68:16) Kind of cold, really wet and windy, extremely miserable. This run just sucked.

Saturday: off

Sunday: 17.2mi (1:50:27) I don't say this often, but this was a truly awesome run. I was not sure how things would go because I have been feeling really tired for the last week and I did not get decent sleep the last two nights because we have a sick 2 year old in the house. I started out quick and when mile 9 passed in 5:58 I had to pull things back a little bit. I felt strong and I was just cruising at 6:15 pace for the last half of the run. I did 4-5 full speed accelerations between mile 8 and 10 to recruit fast twitch muscle fibers.

Total for week: 69.1mi

12/10-12/16

More catch up here. I was a bit short on the miles this week for some reason, had a mediocre workout and had a slow, sloppy long run. Overall the week was kind of meh.

Monday: 8mi (55:24) Easy recovery.

Tuesday: 10.2mi (70:38)

Wednesday: 10.1mi (64:22) I was at work today so I did a 3 mile warm-up, 6x0.33mi hill followed by 1 mile at threshold pace (5:22) and then 2 mile cool-down. This was the same workout that I did two weeks ago in 63:48 w/ a 5:27 mile at the end. I was definitely more tired this week and the warm up and cool down were slower as well as the first mile split on the hill efforts but I was able to pull things together and get in a decent workout.

Thursday: 8mi (58:18) Easy recovery.

Friday: 10mi (64:14) Let it out a bit on one of my standard 10 mile out-and-back runs.

Saturday: off

Sunday: 16mi (1:50:06) I was cold and snowy the whole time so I was pretty tired at the end from slipping on every step and being frozen to the core. It is amazing how much this kind of run takes out of you even when going easy.

Total for week: 62.3mi

12/3-12/9

Catching up on my entries. This week was a really easy week and I hardly ran at all. Felt better by the end of the week.

Monday: off

Tuesday: 3mi (22:33)

Wednesday: 6.25mi (43:33)

Thursday: 5.25mi (36:40)

Friday: off

Saturday: 6.25mi (42:35)

Sunday: 15mi (1:38:36).

Total for week: 35.75mi

11/26-12/2

Things went well again this week as I just squeaked out more than 60 miles, had a good hill workout and was pleased with my race. Based on my Mill Cities Relay split I think that I am making good progress towards my goal in the spring (more on that later). Next week will be a real easy week: ~40 miles.

Monday: 8.1mi (54:57) Easy run to test out calf. All looks good.

Tuesday: 10.1mi (68:37) Another easy day to test my calf.

Wednesday: 10.1mi (63:48) I said that I was not going to do a hard workout this week but my calf feels good so I decided to go with the original plan and do a hill repeat workout. I did a 3 mile warm-up and then went right in to 6x0.33mi hill followed by 1 mile at threshold pace (5:27 - it was slightly down hill). Felt really good on this workout.

Thursday: 8.1mi (55:54) Nice easy run to recover.

Friday: 10mi (70:02) Easy run in Mine Falls.

Saturday: Off. This is the first time I have ever taken the day before a race off. We will see how this goes.

Sunday: 13.75mi (Mill Cities Relay) I did a 2.8 mile warm-up (19:43) and things looked like they would be pretty icy and slick but things turned out okay during the race. 9.52 mile 4th leg in 51:35 (splits: 5:28, 5:23, 5:22, 5:29, 5:29, 5:25, 5:28, 5:25, 5:23, 2:44). I intentionally took the first mile easy because it was the slickest but then let things open up a bit. I was feeling good and passing people until about 7 miles when I heard foot steps behind me. They continued to get louder and at 8.5 miles Pat Moulton pulled even with me, gave me a couple words of encouragement and then when flying by. I tried to go with him and dropped my pace a bit but felt like I was going to blow up and backed off. I was able to keep the gap to about 30 seconds to the end. Over all I am pleased with this effort because the footing was worse than last year and I am at the end of a hard cycle and I ran 90 seconds faster than last year (51:35 vs 53:05). I cooled down for 1.5 miles with Pat (12:38)

Total for week: 60mi

11/19-11/25

This was a pretty good week because I got over 60 miles again, had a decent threshold run and did a nice long run. The only down side was that I tweaked my calf a bit and am going to take it easy for a couple days to make sure it does not turn into anything serious. I think that it is my peroneus longus on the right leg. I can still run with no pain - it feels like a slight soreness and it is a little tender if I push on it. I will try to do my normal routine next week minus the hard run and I will probably dial back the intensity a notch.

Monday: 8.25mi (59:33) Easy run to recover.

Tuesday: 10mi (68:49) Another easy day to rest up for tomorrow.

Wednesday: 11mi - 2.2mi warm-up (15:34) with 10k threshold run (34:14) and 2.6mi cool-down (17:58). I was planning on a redux of the 8 mile threshold run I did 3-4 weeks ago to gauge how my fitness was coming along but about 5.5 miles in the tape on my left foot started bothering me. I tape my arches for a little extra support during speed workouts and my foot must have swelled during the run. I decided to cut the run short and do just 10km. It took me a little bit to get going because my hamstrings and lower back were a bit tight for the first couple miles, but I felt pretty good the last 3 miles and felt like I could have maintained 5:25-5:30 pace for the last 2 miles if my foot had cooperated. My splits were: 5:35, 5:33, 5:29, 5:26, 5:27, 5:23, 78.Last time my average was 5:39/1600m for 8mi and this time it was 5:29/1600m, but for only 10km. I felt much better after the run than last time. Last time I was a bit wiped and my cool-down was at 8min/mi pace but this time I felt great and I ran the cool-down at 6:45/mi pace. Rest up the next couple days.

Thursday: 8.3mi (59:37) Nice easy run. I landed a bit odd on my right foot about 6 miles into the run and tweaked something in the side of my calf. I think that it is right where the peroneus longus attaches on the side of the knee. I slowed a bit for the last couple of miles and it seemed fine. Ice, foam roll and use compression socks.

Friday: off to let leg rest.

Saturday: 10mi (71:00) My leg was fine for the first 7-8 miles but then I became aware of it. It does not hurt, it feels more like soreness and it is slightly tender to the touch. Ice, foam roll and use compression again.

Sunday: 16.3mi (1:51:03) I ran really early this morning to get it out of the way. My leg was fine at the start but only 2-3 miles in I could feel it. I went for a while but at 6 miles I headed back for the car. By the time I got there my leg was fine so I kept going and was able to finish the run without feeling it again. Ice and use compression after run.

Total for week: 63.85mi

11/12-11/18

Monday: 8mi (56:16) Easy run to recover.

Tuesday: 10.5mi (70:03) This was a moderate run and it was nice running in the cold rain!

Wednesday: 10.1mi (65:39) I did a hill workout today w/ 6x0.3mi long hill and a mile @ threshold pace (5:38) right afterwards to clear the lactic acid. Felt good.

Thursday: 8.1mi (56:25) Easy recovery run w/ 4 5-8 second full speed surges on hills and a 200m acceleration at the end.

Friday: 10.5mi (66:43) Felt pretty good today so I wanted to let it rip a bit, especially since I am taking tomorrow off. I started out at 7min/mi pace and gradually dropped it down to 6min/mi at the end.

Saturday: Off

Sunday: 16mi (107:09) I was originally going to do an 8 mile warm-up and then go right into a 6 mile threshold run. However, I was not really feeling great today and decided to bail. I also have not officially started my training macrocycle yet for the spring and need a few more mesocycles (4 week periodization) in me before I really ramp up the volume and intensity together. I ran about 7min/mi for the first 8 miles and then dropped to 6:30min/mi pace for the next 7 miles and finished with a 6 minute mile and a long acceleration.

Total for week: 63.2mi

11/5-11/11

This was my easy week and I took full advantage of it. I was really tired at the end of last week and my foot was bothering me so I only ran four days this week.

Monday: 0

Tuesday: 6.2mi (42:09) Felt a lot better than expected.

Wednesday: 8.3mi (57:44) Foot bothered me.

Thursday: 0

Friday: 0

Saturday: 5.2mi (36:05)

Sunday: 12mi (79:12) I felt good and just cruised at 6:15-6:30 pace for the last 8-10 miles.

Total for week: 31.7mi

10/29-11/4

The theme for the week was fatigue. I was exhausted early in the week from my long run last Sunday and then later in the week from my Wednesday workout. I cut my long run a bit short because I was  looking forward to the easy week next week and it was just not happening. I am doing 4 week cycles, cutting my mileage 25-30% on the fourth week of each cycle, and next week is my easy week.

Monday: 8.1mi (58:38) Tired

Tuesday: 10.2mi (72:00) Still pretty tired.

Wednesday: 12.5mi - 2.1mi warm-up (15:28), 8.3mi of 4x2mi w/ 1 minute rest (48:39), 2.1mi cool-down (16:13). I wanted to mix things up a bit from last week and go a little faster so I did long intervals on the road. I almost punted the workout because I was so tired but I could not do it on Thursday or Friday.  Splits and rests were:
5:43, 11:28 (5:45)
rest - 1:18
5:26, 11:05 (5:39)
rest - 1:09
5:26, 11:01 (5:35)
rest - 1:05
5:30, 11:11 (5:41)
This was a bit harder and my times were more erratic than last week but I think that is because I was tired and there was less feedback on the 2 mile loop than on the track. The first mile was slightly downhill and the second mile was slightly uphill. Overall a good workout but very tiring.

Thursday: 8.1mi (57:16)

Friday: 8.3mi (60:18)

Saturday: 3mi (22:24)

Sunday: 12.1mi (86:06) I did not feel good and at 6 miles I tweaked the ball of my left foot so I cut it short. Really looking forward to next week to get some rest.

Total for week: 62.3mi

10/22-10/28

I have had a rough year running-wise but have finally been able to string together a couple weeks of reasonable running. This is my first week over 60 miles (I have been @ 56-58 the last 4 weeks) and I did my first workout this week so I figured I would start blogging again.

Monday: 8.1mi (?) No watch

Tuesday: 10.2mi (70:39)

Wednesday: 12mi - 2.2mi warm-up (15:42), 8mi threshold run (45:09), 2mi cooldown (16:33). This is the first workout with a warm-up I have done in about a year. I have been doing 10 mile progression runs once per week where I get down to 5:50 or 6 minute pace at the end, but I wanted to do something a bit quicker. I did it on the track just so I could get the pace down but will move back to the roads in the future. I pretty much hit 5:40, or a little quicker, each mile and did 12.8km (8x1600m) in 45:09 (5:40 pace would be 45:20). The effort was pretty easy, especially the first 4-5 miles, and the biggest challenge was overcoming boredom.

Thursday: 8.1mi (59:11)

Friday: 10.1mi (71:58)

Saturday: 0

Sunday: 17mi (115:52) I averaged 7min/mi for the first 10mi and then dropped to sub-6:30/mi pace for the last 6-7 miles. Felt good but need to rest up.

Total for week: 65.4mi