"It never gets easier, you just go faster." - Greg Lemond

Wednesday, June 6, 2012

Week of May 28th - June 3rd


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.





1 comment:

  1. 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!

    Really liked the Geographer and Black Pistol Fire tracks. Nice picks.

    ReplyDelete