Training week ending 030412

Monday 022712 –felt pretty lethargic all day.  Clearly I was paying for getting it done yesterday.  When I do a run compromised like I did yesterday, it makes me further compromised.  Even though I ran slow yesterday, because I was in already in a bit of a hole, I felt a bit more rough on the edges today than I would if I had run hard, faster – but had I run in a strong state.  In other words, when I go into a workout ready to get after it, and I do – I recover well and bounce back from that effort well.  But when I am already fuzzy, even an easy run can bury me more.  A bit weird, but not really.

Evening – 10 miles, very very easy.

Tuesday 022812 – PM, treadmill … was not even sure what I was going to do when I got on the treadmill.  I had planned on getting on the mill, because the weather was supposed to be windy again.  Arguably, I probably could have got outside, as the weather was not so bad – but I elected to stick to the mill (I know that is crazy for some folks).  Decided that I’d do 6 x a half mile with a quarter.  I think I last did this workout on Christmas Eve (but arguably, a different mill at the rec center versus the office mill I used today).  Got a new high HR to 185.  I started at 10.8 back then, and started at 11.1 (5:24 pace).  Each was a tenth faster (up to 11.6 mph or 5:10 pace).

With supposed conversion on a 0% mill, these supposedly equate to 5:35 to 5:25 – so not as fast as the mill projects, but still all faster than what I am holding for a 5k race at current.  So good work.

These were tough.  I needed to lean on the treadmill in a sweaty mess after the last.  The slightly greater dip on the HR after 4 and before 5 is a quick bio break.  A long warm down that I made myself get through for 10 miles.  I was thinking about marking this run as green, but I never felt awesome, so yellow it is.

Wednesday 022912 – this run was just stupid.  I was worked from yesterday, felt it and was sluggish.  I zoned out listening to podcasts, but I am not sure I got anything out of this.  10 miles.

Finish on February: 
Annual stats: 615 miles, 84.03 hours, 18025 feet climbed, 5 days off, 17 treadmill runs, 4 20 milers, 19 days of quality, and zero days at high altitude. Zilcho racing. 1 FR Peak. 
February stats: 302 miles, 39.66 hours, 5495 feet climbed, 3 days off, 12 treadmill runs, 2 20 milers, 10 days of quality, and zero days at high altitude. Zilcho racing.
The no racing is interesting.  As I have not race in four and half months, this might be the longest period I have not raced since I started running out here in 1996.

Thursday 030112 – I am in a bit of a funk and I know it.  I sort have been since the middle of last week.  I have managed two good workouts since then, but I put myself in a bit of a hole with the long run over the weekend (even though it was easy).  Flipping the calendar to March is a bit of a wake up call.  Time to get thinking about thinking about something being serious.  Or not.  My left hammie was singing a bit today so (a left over from Tuesday, aggravated by not letting things go yesterday) so I knew I had to keep it easy, but I also knew I wanted a something to break up my funk a bit.  With it snowing out, I decided a treadmill run, with some “hills” for the first time this year was on order.  10 miles, with 3 miles in the middle at 10%.  Nuthin’ spectacular but different.  It helped.

Thinking I will begin to switch things up a bit in March, with a sprinkle of a hill run in there a couple of times, and maybe even a mountain thing or two if the trails start to open.

Friday 030212 – 2 laps on Green with Homie.  Gave me a nice way to break into a vertical thing as I caught Homie after 6 laps.  :)  Good thing too because I am not climbing ready … yet. 10 miles with close to 5000 of vertical.  This was predominantly hiking up, and running down.  With all the flat I have done in the last three months, the legs were a bit “surprised” at the up, but the effort was easy so it was not an issue.  On the second lap down, I could feel my ankles getting a bit tired.  All in all – a good wake up call of what to do and things to come. 

Saturday 030312 – Meh.  I felt a little soreness from the double Green yesterday, but I did not think it was an issue.  I got out with intentions on a tempo run – and I did that, but it was all messed up pace wise because of the wind (steady 20mph, with gusts close to 40).  After four miles of frustratingly fighting the wind for the tempo, and seeing I was not getting much out of it (I could not elevate HR above the low 160s), I conceded.  8 miles on the day.

Actually, if I am honest, I was probably a bit more worked from yesterday than I knew while running (looking back at this several hours later). 

Sunday 030412 – 12 in the AM, steady.  Wind picked up so the pace was all over the place (low seven to nearly 9), depending on the direction.  Legs were heavy but I was moving fairly well.

I am mixed on the week.  I am partly frustrated because it felt off, I never had a day where I felt great and that it felt as if I did not get anything particularly strong in.  All week it seemed that I was working slowly out of the the self described funk.  But on the flip side, there was a good turn over workout (actually – maybe too good as it left me a bit racked for a couple of days), and the biggest vert week this year so far (with the double Green on Friday).  70 miles on the week, 7710 vert, 11.5 hours. 

Next week, I will have work challenges (and hence time challenges) but I will look to bump overall volume a touch (probably a few more runs than 7 – which is what I had this week), and get a long run in but this one with a bit more climbing than a measly few  hundred feet.  I will still look to get in a turn over workout in, and a tempo but I might need to scratch one of those if pressed.