I wasn't looking forward to Monday's long run, probably my longest training run ever. Still, it had to be done and, in the end, it went fairly smoothly (if slowly). Still, I take comfort in the fact that Bruce always ran his long runs easy. I did miss running hills this week. I know, that sounds crazy, but I like hills. Which is why our current version of the Boston special has more hills than ever before.
Monday 15th March: Rescheduled long run. Avoided too many of the big hills on the Boston Special because of lingering achilles issues, and added more miles along the flat lake shore. 40km.
Tuesday 16th March: Short, easy recovery run along rail path. Achilles and calf still sore. 7.6km.
Wednesday 17th March: Longboat club run along the lake shore. Slower than normal workout because of lingering Achilles and calf issues. 18.8km
Thursday 18th March: Ran over to High Park and met up with Chris MacPeake along the way. Managed to convince him to join me for a slow jog of the High Park trails. 11.9km.
Friday 19th March: Reduced hill workout in High Park, including zoo steps. Ran while coaching Longboat runners. Last official hill workout, celebrated with beer afterward. 10.3km
Saturday 20th March: Ran with Rob on Rosedale trail and up pottery road for coffee at Mike Cullen's cafe, finished by running back through Riverdale Park. 11.3km
Sunday 21st March: Longboat long run from the Y. Ran to Lakeshore and did 2 x 5k at 4min/km in middle of run with Steve, Michael and Rob. 25.6km
Weekly Total 125.5km
YTD Total: 1160km
A very solid week considering the achilles/calf issue hasn't gone away yet. It is getting better though. I mean really, how long will it take? Perhaps the recovery week I've scheduled for next week, to coincide with a mini taper for the Around the Bay 30km race, will allow it to heal properly. In the meantime, icing and stretching continues to be the order of the day.
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
Monday, March 22, 2010
Half Way thoughts
Well, half of the hay is in the barn as they say, just over two months to go before Adrian and I toe the line in Pietermaritzburg for our run to Durban. Exciting, but scary at the same time. There's still lots to do, but time is running out.
So far I'm happy with:
My weekly mileage, which has been consistently higher than at any time in my running career;
My ability to handle the mileage without too much more than a general feeling of fatigue;
I have been able to run well on hills on a regular basis, even on long runs.
I'm not happy with:
Distance of long run - 40km is the longest so far;
Speed of everyday runs - feel like I have no zip, possibly because of high mileage
Things to work on in the second half of the buildup:
Longer long runs;
Continued incremental weekly mileage increases;
Core strength, leg strength and stretching.
Piece of cake really.
So far I'm happy with:
My weekly mileage, which has been consistently higher than at any time in my running career;
My ability to handle the mileage without too much more than a general feeling of fatigue;
I have been able to run well on hills on a regular basis, even on long runs.
I'm not happy with:
Distance of long run - 40km is the longest so far;
Speed of everyday runs - feel like I have no zip, possibly because of high mileage
Things to work on in the second half of the buildup:
Longer long runs;
Continued incremental weekly mileage increases;
Core strength, leg strength and stretching.
Piece of cake really.
Sunday, March 21, 2010
Week 11 - Half Way
The last week of the first half of Comrades preparation was a bit of an easy week because of work commitments.
Monday March 8: Short Easy run on West Toronto Rail Path route. 7.34km
Tuesday March 9: No run - too busy to squeeze it in!
Wednesday March 10: Longboat run along the lake shore. Planned a 7km tempo run but cut short due to stomach cramps. Still managed a good effort overall, except when doubled over clutching my stomach. 18.77km.
Thursday March 11th: 2x Morningside hill circuits with a loop of the 2km High Park ring road. 16.95km.
Friday March 12th: Easy run to High Park and back. 9.80km.
Saturday March 13th: Decided to run the Slainte 5km race in Hamilton. Came third overall in 16:59, but I suffered problems with my achilles afterwards. 2km warm up for 7km total.
Sunday March 14th: Decided to postpone my long run until tomorrow for a little more recovery. It was also a miserable day - wet and cool. So did an easy run over to High Park instead. 11.58km.
Week Total: 74.4km
YTD Total: 1034.2km
A busy work week left a little less time for running. Despite the third place finish, I ended up regretting the 5km race since my achilles started to act up and I was tentative in my running. Still, there's lots of time to get over it - Right?
Monday March 8: Short Easy run on West Toronto Rail Path route. 7.34km
Tuesday March 9: No run - too busy to squeeze it in!
Wednesday March 10: Longboat run along the lake shore. Planned a 7km tempo run but cut short due to stomach cramps. Still managed a good effort overall, except when doubled over clutching my stomach. 18.77km.
Thursday March 11th: 2x Morningside hill circuits with a loop of the 2km High Park ring road. 16.95km.
Friday March 12th: Easy run to High Park and back. 9.80km.
Saturday March 13th: Decided to run the Slainte 5km race in Hamilton. Came third overall in 16:59, but I suffered problems with my achilles afterwards. 2km warm up for 7km total.
Photo by Kim Diamond - Thanks Kim!
Sunday March 14th: Decided to postpone my long run until tomorrow for a little more recovery. It was also a miserable day - wet and cool. So did an easy run over to High Park instead. 11.58km.
Week Total: 74.4km
YTD Total: 1034.2km
A busy work week left a little less time for running. Despite the third place finish, I ended up regretting the 5km race since my achilles started to act up and I was tentative in my running. Still, there's lots of time to get over it - Right?
Week 10 - After recovery, big miles
Ready to refocus on Comrades after the Half Marathon. Racing can be a distraction from the main goal, but it's fun, and gives me a sense of where I'm at.
Monday 1st March: Easy recovery run down to Parkside and back along the West Toronto Railpath. 8.2km
Tuesday 2nd March: Morningside Hill circuit x 2. Legs felt good on the hills. 17.9km
Wednesday 3rd March: AM Easy run legs feeling good. 6.2km
PM: Longboat Club run along waterfront. 321 workout. 3km at half marathon pace plus 3 minutes easy, 2km at 10k pace plus 2 min easy 1km at 5k race pace. Tough workout. 19.1km
Thursday 4th March: An easy run that ended up longer than planned (by about 4km). Pace was slow, but legs felt pretty good. 21. 4km
Friday 5th March: Easy run with 3x hill repeats on Spring hill. Kept the workout easy because of long run tomorrow. 16.4km
Saturday 6th March: Long run done today before Convention tomorrow. Ran about an hour alone before linking up with Longboat at High Park and ran the regular route. Ran back along Lakeshore with Rob Hanks. Legs felt heavy towards the end. Glad to be finished. 33.3km
Sunday 7th March: Short easy run squeezed between a late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. 4.9km
Week Total: 127.4km
YTD Total: 962.4km
My highest mileage week since starting running. It felt good and not too tiring. Lots of work and less time for running next week, so it won't be sustainable.
Monday 1st March: Easy recovery run down to Parkside and back along the West Toronto Railpath. 8.2km
Tuesday 2nd March: Morningside Hill circuit x 2. Legs felt good on the hills. 17.9km
Wednesday 3rd March: AM Easy run legs feeling good. 6.2km
PM: Longboat Club run along waterfront. 321 workout. 3km at half marathon pace plus 3 minutes easy, 2km at 10k pace plus 2 min easy 1km at 5k race pace. Tough workout. 19.1km
Thursday 4th March: An easy run that ended up longer than planned (by about 4km). Pace was slow, but legs felt pretty good. 21. 4km
Friday 5th March: Easy run with 3x hill repeats on Spring hill. Kept the workout easy because of long run tomorrow. 16.4km
Saturday 6th March: Long run done today before Convention tomorrow. Ran about an hour alone before linking up with Longboat at High Park and ran the regular route. Ran back along Lakeshore with Rob Hanks. Legs felt heavy towards the end. Glad to be finished. 33.3km
Sunday 7th March: Short easy run squeezed between a late Saturday night and early Sunday morning. 4.9km
Week Total: 127.4km
YTD Total: 962.4km
My highest mileage week since starting running. It felt good and not too tiring. Lots of work and less time for running next week, so it won't be sustainable.
Monday, March 1, 2010
Week 9 - Catching up
It seems like I have some catching up to do. While I haven't been keeping up to date here, I have been keeping up with the running, which I guess is ultimately the more important activity.
Monday February 22nd: Took a day off since right Achilles was acting up.
Tuesday February 23rd: 3 miles of hill workout followed by a fast 5km.with a 2km warm up and cool down. 13km
Wednesday February 24th: Longboat Club run along the Lakeshore. Ran a mile breakdown: 1600m with 5 min easy, 1200m with 5 min easy, 800m with 3 min easy, 400m. Ran 3.4km warm up and 4.42km cooldown. 14.44km
Thursday February 25th: No run. Slacking off again!
Friday February 26th: Ran at High Park. Difficult run due to heavy snowfall. Ran with Erik around ring road and up spring road hill. 10km
Saturday February 27th: Longboat New Members Brunch relay race at Trinity Bellwoods park. 1500m.
Sunday February 28th: Peterborough Half marathon. Good race overall, managed to get 5th place on windy but mild day. ~ 2km warmup. 23km
Week Total: 65.5
YTD Total: 836.9
That was a welcome recovery week prior to the Peterborough half. Ended feeling ready to push on again.
Monday February 22nd: Took a day off since right Achilles was acting up.
Tuesday February 23rd: 3 miles of hill workout followed by a fast 5km.with a 2km warm up and cool down. 13km
Wednesday February 24th: Longboat Club run along the Lakeshore. Ran a mile breakdown: 1600m with 5 min easy, 1200m with 5 min easy, 800m with 3 min easy, 400m. Ran 3.4km warm up and 4.42km cooldown. 14.44km
Thursday February 25th: No run. Slacking off again!
Friday February 26th: Ran at High Park. Difficult run due to heavy snowfall. Ran with Erik around ring road and up spring road hill. 10km
Saturday February 27th: Longboat New Members Brunch relay race at Trinity Bellwoods park. 1500m.
Sunday February 28th: Peterborough Half marathon. Good race overall, managed to get 5th place on windy but mild day. ~ 2km warmup. 23km
Week Total: 65.5
YTD Total: 836.9
That was a welcome recovery week prior to the Peterborough half. Ended feeling ready to push on again.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
