This week was 44 miles of “real running” and 17 “miles” pool running plus 2500m of swimming -- training log is here.
A decent week to report overall. I’m really happy with how good I’m feeling . It’s now been almost 2 months that I’ve been totally gluten-free, and it’s amazing how much better I feel in nearly every way with each week.
Skin is clearer, stomach cramps are rarely an issue during runs (instead of being omnipresent), and my lungs seem to be functioning so much better (not surprising, as the breathing problems were often triggered by acid reflux that seems to be fading). I’m down to one shot of Pepto pre-run (as opposed to 3), and maybe I’ll be able to eliminate that soon. Running also feels just so much more easy and fluid. So yay. Now I just need to get better about smart workouts and races.
Dailies
Monday: 45 minutes of easy pool-running in the morning (“4.5 miles”) plus 1000m of swimming breathing drills (all with pull-buoy), followed by injury prevention exercises. Foam-rolling+stretching at night.
Tuesday: In the morning, 10 miles on the track, including a slightly careful 6x800m (400m jog) due to high humidity. Splits were 3:06, 3:00, 3:01, 3:01, 3:00, 2:57. I had hoped to do one or two more, but coach shut me down at 6 to be careful. Followed with a shakeout 20 minutes easy pool-running, for “2 miles”. Strength-training plus injury prevention exercises and foam-rolling at night.
Wednesday: In the morning, 11 easy miles outside (8:15 pace), followed by 1000m of swimming breathing drills (most with the pull buoy, some without). Yoga class at night.
Thursday: In the morning, "6 miles" of easy pool-running (60 minutes) followed by strength-training. Foam-rolling and stretching at night.
Friday: In the morning, 8 miles on the track, including what was not my best tempo – mile splits were 6:38/6:33, but I paced it unevenly. I can focus on more evenness next time, I guess. Followed with “2.5” miles of easy pool-running (25 minutes) and 500m of swimming breathing drills. A massage plus very gentle pilates (working on alignment) in the evening.
Saturday: Off. Just foam-rolling and stretching.
Sunday: First did my very first track meet (pretty low key) – 3 miles warm-up, then a mile race in 5:49 (report). Then drove out to Carderock to do a long run (very easy, cautious, with handheld water bottle due to temps in the mid-80s and dewpoint in the mid-70s - pace was 8:54, and I wouldn’t have wanted to push it more than that). I meant to do 10, but ended up with 11 due to a missed mile marker and a missed turn. Sometimes I’m really not sure I should be running without adult supervision.
Followed with “2 miles” in the pool – 20 minutes very easy pool-running as a sub for an ice-bath.
snort. should any of us be doing this without supervision, really? nice week. i'm glad that the gluten-free diet is making a noticeable difference for you! how long did it take to notice the changes? just curious - i don't have any gluten problems, but i find dietary changes interesting.
ReplyDeleteSome changes were within 3 days or so -- my whole digestive system just started functioning a lot better. I also dropped 2 pounds in 3 days -- all of which seems to have been water weight from persistent bloating (weight has been rock solid since).
ReplyDeleteThe other changes have been more gradual; every week I feel a bit better. I have noticed that large meals also seem to get me, and I don't feel quite as well when I eat 3 meals a day; 6 smaller work a lot better (good thing I telecommute)
Interesting about the gluten thing. I'm so glad that you are feeling better because of it and not having as many stomach issues. Congrats again on the mile!
ReplyDeleteYikes, are you literally down to meat and potatoes as the only things you can eat? I'm glad its helping though!
ReplyDeleteMeh. I've gotten used to it.
ReplyDeleteMy diet's essentially meat (chicken, eggs, buffalo, fish), potatoes, corn, rice, veggies, bananas, apples, butter, guacamole. Which is actually a lot -- I can eat pretty well in nearly any restaurant, with the exception of pure pasta/pizza places. And my favorite meal is steak, so I'm pretty happy.
Carbs and protein aren't issues; the difficulty is in getting in enough fat. I run best on a fairly high fat diet, so I use a LOT of butter (which fortunately doesn't cause the same problems as milk/cheese/yogurt/ice cream).