Training log - Week ending 12/1/2013

This week was 19,000 yards of swimming, 2 hours 40 minutes on the arc-trainer mimicking easy pace running, and about 7-8 miles easy running (interspersed with walk breaks) -- training log is here.  

And...we're making more progress.  I gradually built up the running this week, lengthening the intervals, increasing the pace, and eventually moving from the treadmill to outside.  The high point was 2.5 miles jogged non-stop on the track at 8:50 pace.  With no pain.  Just a lot of fatigue in the left leg.

Doesn't sound like much, does it?  But it's a big improvement from where I was a week ago.

I also built up the arc-trainer quite a bit.  What has been nice to note is that I've retained a fair amount of aerobic fitness - it's just that my legs are weak.  Makes sense - I've been swimming.  And this contrasts with my experience during my broken foot, when I did nothing but pool-running - then I returned to running with decent leg strength, but lacking in aerobic capacity.

So, if you can somehow do both pool-running and swimming, you can stay pretty fit for running.  Of course, the arc-trainer's a better way to accomplish both aerobic fitness and leg strength, since you hit both at the same time.  But arc-trainer wasn't an option until recently.

As for swimming, I added in intervals this week, following the helpful advice of many on how to structure them.  I'm enjoying them.  The time goes much faster when you do intervals, and I also like the mental aspects of them.  From a mental standpoint, the 6th rep of 10x100 yards feels much like the 6th rep of 8x800m on the track - the whole mental dialogue of "can't I just quit now" followed by "hell no!"  Doing these will make it easier to return to fast running, both mentally and physically.

I also set a PB in distance swum on Sunday.  Victoria invited me to join her and some friends for 100x100.  No way I could swim that far - my previous distance best is 4000m.  But I figured I could go at least part way.   End result was that I made it 5500 yards (yes, some of that was kick board) for a new distance best.  I called it at that point not because I couldn't go any further, but because I am a bit worried about my shoulders and elbows (shoulders get muscularly sore during swimming, elbows don't hurt to move, but are very sensitive to the touch).  I really don't want to cross-train into injury.

Added benefit was that I got a good stroke tip from Victoria after she watched me swim (I'll admit that part of the reason I showed was that I hoped she'd check out my stroke).  Basically, when I swing my arm forward, I extend it all the way before slapping the arm into the water.  Not the best.  Instead, I need to let my hand enter a bit earlier, and skim the surface from underneath before starting to pull back. 

So that's what I'll be working on next.  Besides increasing my running.  Goals and things to work towards make me happy.

Dailies

Monday:   In the morning, injury prevention/rehab work, a test run on the treadmill (ran for 3:00, 4:00, 5:00, and 3:30 with 1:00 breaks, peaking at 6 MPH), followed by 2500 yards swimming.   For the swimming, did two sets of 4x100 yards on 2:10; splits were:
Set 1: 1:50, 1:49.9, 1:46.4, 1:45.8 
Set 2: 1:47.4, 1:47.4, 1:45.4, 1:44.6  
Also got some ART and Graston done.  Foam rolling at night.

Tuesday:  In the morning, injury prevention/rehab work, a test run on the treadmill (5:00, 6:00, 6:00 peaking at 7 mph, with 1:00 break) and then 40 minutes on the arc-trainer.   Foam rolling at night.

Wednesday:   In the morning, injury prevention/rehab work, 50 minutes on the arc-trainer, and 2500 yards swimming, including 5x100 yards on 2:00 - splits were 1:51.1, 1:49.9, 1:47.5, 1:48.6, 1:45.7.  Sports massage at night.

Thursday:   In the morning,  injury prevention/rehab work, a test jog of 7:00 and then 10:00 on the treadmill (1:30 walking, pace of 5.5 mph) and then 4000 yards of swimming, including 5x200 yards on 4:00, and then 5x100 yards on 2:00.  Splits were 3:47.63, 3:47.46, 3:46.48, 3:43.76, 3:40.13 for the first set, and 1:54.36, 1:55.68, 1:52.78, 1:51.11, 1:48.61 for the second set.   Then ate a whole lotta turkey.  Foam rolling at night.

Friday:  In the morning, injury prevention/rehab work, 3 miles very easy on the treadmill (split into 10 minute jog intervals), followed by 3000 yards of swimming.  Swimming included 3x300yards on 6:00 plus 100 yards; splits were 5:45.73, 5:34.91, 5:27.34 and then 1:43.56. Foam rolling at night.

Saturday:    In the morning, injury prevention/rehab work, 70 minutes on the arc-trainer, and 1500 yards swimming.

Sunday:   In the morning, 2.5 miles easy on the track (8:50 pace), and then I joined Victoria for my "budget version" of the 100x100 swimfest.  I cranked out 5500 yards, including two sets of 10x100 yards on 2:00 and one set of 3x300 yards on 6:00 plus 100 yards.  Splits were:
Set 1: 1:49.58, 1:51.38, 1:53-ish, 1:52.23, 1:50.96, 1:52.33, 1:53:31, 1:49.35, 1:48.01, 1:49.16;
Set 2: 1:51.76, 1:54.76, 1:52.56, 1:51.19, 1:53.51, 1:53.21, 1:53.00, 1:50.93, 1:50.16, 1:49.76;
Set 3: 5:43.03, 5:35.78, 5:29.18, 1:43.81

And then I ate more turkey, followed by injury rehab work.  And then I ate more turkey and then did foam rolling.