Training log - Week ending 5/19/2019

This week was 61 miles of running, 16 "miles" of pool-running and 2000 yards of swimming -- training log is here. 

Finally, a normal week of training - it's been a long time. Overall, things went well. 

I had a bad workout on Friday, where I had been aiming for 4 miles but pulled the plug after 3 miles. I don't like dropping from workouts, but sometimes it's the best choice.  Here, I felt like I was running through quicksand and slowing and working much harder than tempo effort.  Finishing the workout would have been a race effort .  So...it made sense to stop rather than go to the well to finish it.

Sometimes, especially when one hasn't raced in a while, I think it's important to finish those tough workouts. But I've raced plenty recently, so I don't need any practice with digging deep. And I do need to make sure I don't overdo things as I look towards my half-marathon 6 weeks away. 

I'm not too worried about the bad workout on Friday - I think it was a combo of a) recovery from Broad Street (extended by the colonoscopy), b) having my sleep schedule screwed up twice this week due to evening obligations, and c) reacting to my allergy shots on Wednesday (I think they gave too strong a dose, since I felt awful after). 

I went to bed early on Friday night and slept 9 hours, and felt much better Saturday morning. And then Sunday's long run went well, if somewhat adventurously.  

[Low-lights included a long stretch of ankle-deep water on a flooded Hains Point, a collection of people carrying oars who thought it was fun to swing those oars like toys across the running path, and a cyclist who played "chicken" with me.]

Sunday was the first somewhat warm and humid long run I've done this year - it's been a relatively cool spring, and so I've been spoiled.  I was pretty happy with how the run went - marathon effort yielded me mostly mid-low 6:50s pace (had two slower miles due to a) dodging people with oars and b) lost Garmin signal that threw the average off).  That's obviously not my goal marathon pace for the fall, but I obviously also hope not to be running my fall marathon in 73 degrees with a matching dew point!

Next week will be a bit of a pull-back, since I'm racing a road mile on Memorial day.

Dailies 

Monday: Yoga and 8 "miles" pool-running in the morning. Foam rolling at night. 

Tuesday: 12 miles, including a track workout of 1600, 4x800 in 6:02, 2:56, 2:56, 2:56, 2:51 - recovery of just under 5 minutes after the 1600, and a bit over 2:30 after the 800s. Followed with leg strengthwork and 1000 yards recovery swimming. Foam rolling at night. 

Wednesday: 8 miles very easy to yoga (8:52), plus drills and strides, and then yoga. Followed with another 4 miles very easy (8:55). Foam rolling at night. 

Thursday: Upper body weights/core and 8 "miles" pool-running in the morning. Foam rolling at night. 

Friday: 12 miles, including a tempo of a bit over 3 miles in 20:16 (splits were 6:26/6:22/6:26/1:01 before bailing). Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming. Foam rolling at night. 

Saturday: 10 miles very easy (8:53), plus drills, strides, upper body weights/core. Foam rolling at night. 

Sunday: 14 miles progressive, split as first 4 averaging 8:39; next 4 at 7:23; last 6 at 6:57, and then a cool-down of a bit less than a mile. Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming. Foam rolling in afternoon.