Training log - Week ending 10/21/12

This week was 57 miles of “real running” and 16 “miles” pool running, no swimming breathing drills -- training log is here.  

Kinda a weird week, as I tapered….sort of…for a 10 mile race.  Originally my plan had been to treat Army as a goal race, and to taper similar to how I did for Cherry Blossom (where I ran a total of 28 miles in the week before the race).  Why argue with success.

But…of course, I’m in the height of my marathon training.  Argh!  So, consulted with my coach, who advised that I should stick with my normal training routine, and just keep Friday and Saturday easy to freshen up a bit.  So that’s what I did, including a last minute double on Wednesday afternoon – I usually double on Wednesdays, but had planned to skip the second run this week as part of my taper (and had already washed my hair post-run before consulting with coach).  Whoops…cue second run (and second washing of hair).

[and yes, since I work from home, I usually don’t wash my hair between runs if I’m doubling]

And of course, in the race, I ended up finishing one lousy second off of my PR from this spring.  Oh well.  At least it’s an indication that I’m handling the training load well.  And who’s to say I would have run faster with a CB-type taper.

In other news, annoying sinus condition continues.  I did a course of the antibiotic Bactrim the week before last which helped some, but then the problem recurred after coming off the drugs.  *sigh*.  By the end of this past week, stuff was really hurting, and I actually even doubted for a small bit that I’d be racing on Sunday. 

So back for round two – this time hitting it with antibiotic ear drops and a Z-pack.  I started the ear drops on Friday, which cleared things up somewhat by Sunday, and started the Z-pack on Sunday post race.   Judging from the race and my workouts, the sinus thing doesn’t seem to be affecting my running too much, but it’s pretty annoying.  It also means that I can’t swim, which is one of my preferred recovery workouts.  Whine whine whine.

Dailies

Monday:   In the morning, 50 minutes of easy pool-running for “5 miles” followed with upper body strengthwork and injury prevention exercises.  Foam rolling at night.

Tuesday:  In the morning, 9.5 miles, including a track workout of 1600, 1200, 2x800, 400 in 5:56, 4:18, 2:48, 2:45, 76), followed by injury prevention work and 10 minutes easy pool-running.  An easy 4 miles in the afternoon (8:06 pace), and floor barre and foam rolling at night.

Wednesday:   In the morning, 10 miles very easy (8:30).    Later did another 5 miles easy (7:53 pace).  Foam rolling at night.

Thursday:   In the morning, 3.5 miles very easy outside (9:08 pace) followed by  55 minutes of easy pool-running for “5.5 miles.”  Light injury prevention work and foam rolling at night.

Friday:  In the morning, 6.5 miles, most at easy pace but including a mile pick-up in 6:19.  Followed with 15 minutes of easy pool-running.  Foam rolling in the afternoon.

Saturday:   In the morning, 3.5 miles easy (7:49 pace).  Injury  prevention stuff, and foam rolling in the afternoon.

Sunday:   In the morning,  1 mile warm-up and then a 10 mile race in 65:32.  That evening did 4 miles very easy (8:29 pace), followed by 20 minutes of recovery pool-running and foam rolling.