After hitting my career high 152 miles the previous week,
I set a goal of 120, which I thought would be a good number and would also
signal a time for taper. Somewhere along the line I didn't plan for
getting sick, and I came down with a nasty cold, and my insistence to run did
not help me get better quickly. I was probably run down from linking so
much training and racing into the last couple months, but sometimes that
happens. I had also signed up to race the Dexter-Ann Arbor Half Marathon on
Sunday, a distance I hadn't raced in 2 years.
Monday: 6 miles. Ran to the soccer field,
took off my shoes, and ran 5 miles barefoot, then ran home.
Tuesday: 19 miles. 9 miles in the AM on the
roads. 10 miles in the PM on trails. I have written down that these
were both at a high effort. Interesting that I first started to feel a
little sick the next day. AM road splits - 7:32, 7:07, 6:50, 6:44, 7:01,
6:54, 6:37, 6:58, 6:45.
Wednesday: 20 miles. 9 miles in the AM on the
roads. AM road run with similar splits to yesterday. 11 miles in
the PM on trails. PM trail run was faster than usual. Averaged close to
8min/mile.
Thursday: 19 miles. 10 miles AM on the
roads. 9 miles in the PM on the trails. Left my Garmin at home as I
knew I felt terrible and did not want proof.
Friday: 10
miles. Intended on running 15 at the
trails, but felt like every step caused my brain to smack against my
skull. Legs wouldn’t cooperate. Called it a day early.
Saturday: 21
miles. 10 miles on roads in the AM,
tried, but couldn’t get below 7 minute miles.
Ran 11 on the Poto in the PM, which was somewhat of a struggle towards
the end. Damn sickness.
Sunday: 20
miles. Dexter to Ann Arbor 13.1 miles in
the am, plus a 1 mile warm up before the race.
Chest felt very tight before I started, making it difficult to take deep
breaths. Was a snotty mess all
race. Mile splits for the race: 6:52, 6:32, 6:31, 6:34, 6:24, 6:30, 6:25, 6:26,
6:26, 6:27, 6:20, 6:26, 6:22. Finished in
a PR time of 1:25:35, which I guess I should be satisfied with, considering I
just ran it as a hard workout, but I was expecting a little bit faster
time. Jogged/hiked 7 more miles in the
PM on the Poto.
Total miles: 115
Overall I was rather disappointed with my week. Not necessarily because I didn’t get in
enough “miles”, but rather because, 2-3 weeks before a 100 miler, I would have
liked to have gotten in at least one run of 15 miles or longer. But given how
crappy I was feeling, I should just be happy I ran every day. I wanted to run the half to get my leg speed
up and as a hard workout, but the recovery time from a race type effort has
left me feeling stagnant so far this week.
I don’t think I would recommend doing this as part of training to anyone
who cannot exercise discipline and not race (like myself). The goal now is to just get healthy and limber and recooperate for Mohican.
I guess I like all types of music.
I guess I like all types of music.
Hay's in the barn, as they say, and the barn is stacked to the ceiling. Rest/taper up and you are going to KILL Mohican100. Can't wait to race the 50 myself and cheer you into the finish. Expect a Bell's Two Hearted or Crooked Tree IPA waiting for you!
ReplyDeleteReally liked the Geographer and Black Pistol Fire tracks. Nice picks.