Training log - Week ending 4/29/2018

This week was 44 miles of running, 4 "miles" of pool-running, and 1000 yards of swimming -- training log is here.

So...pretty much the opposite of last week - mostly land running, with my first post-marathon run on Tuesday.  

I've run eight marathons now, and I've taken anywhere between 4 days (borderline too little) and two weeks (too long) off from running after each. 7-10 days seems to be the sweet spot for me, with the exact number dictated by how I feel.  It's important to give the body a break from impact, so that it can repair damage done to soft tissue and bone during the marathon; at the same time if I wait too long my body loses some of its durability, and it's very hard to ramp back up.  Taking extended periods of time off can be a springboard when you're younger; but for older runners it closes a door that is very hard to reopen.

[to build on this - older runners simply recover slower (that's a fact).  In my experience and based on my observations, that means both that older runners need to incorporate more recovery into our weekly training and that we can't take extensive season-end complete breaks.  If proper training is a series of peaks and valleys, our peaks need to be lower and our valleys shallower.]

I didn't feel terribly beaten up after Boston (at least as compared to previous marathons), but I took 7 days in the pool anyway as a precaution, ramping up from pool-running with the belt (really, no exertion at all, just mobility) to "normal" pool-running.

Then, on the eighth day, I ran.

I generally run my easy days very slowly compared to my race times.  That's not something that comes naturally; it's a practiced skill that requires a fair bit of mental effort each morning.  I think it's for that reason that my first runs post-marathon are always challenging, and thus marked "aerobic" rather than easy.  I feel stiff and tight and my heart rate is elevated and at the same time I can't seem to slow down.  

But each day gets better, and when I'm once again able to ride the brakes I know I'm well on my way to recovery.  

By Sunday, I was feeling completely normal.  I'm a bit surprised at how quick the recovery has gone - I had assumed that running the Boston course in that weather would wreck me for weeks.  But from what I can tell, I'm not alone in bouncing back surprisingly fast.  A testament to the virtues of a) cryotherapy and b) not getting dehydrated at all during your race.


Dailies:

Monday: upper body weights and core and 4 "miles" pool-running.  Foam rolling at night.

Tuesday: 6 miles aerobic (8:57) and 1000 yards swimming.  Foam rolling at night.

Wednesday: 5 miles aerobic to yoga (8:46), yoga and then 3 miles easy (9:15) plus drills.  Massage in afternoon.

Thursday:  Off due to work travel.  Nothing except foam rolling at night.

Friday: 4 miles (9:31) to yoga, yoga, and then 6 miles easy (9:31) plus drills and strides.  Foam rolling at night.

Saturday:  8.5 miles aerobic (8:34) (ran too fast so I could chat with friends - it's allowed once in a while if I'm not in training) followed by upper body strengthwork and core.  Foam rolling in afternoon

Sunday:  11.5 intermittent miles very easy (9:17) (cheering at race) followed by injury prevention work and foam rolling.