Training log - Week ending 5/20/18

This week was 64 miles of running, 18 "miles" of pool-running, and 3000 yards of swimming -- training log is here.

The humidity kicked in this week, especially Sunday.  I was actually pretty happy about this - there's always a possibility that Grandma's could be warm, and so the more chances I get to run in this and acclimate, the better.

I was really happy with Sunday's workout.  It was fairly warm and sticky (temperature and dew point of 70 when I started).  Though I've been targeting a marathon pace of 7:00 ish for my marathon pace during this short cycle, I assumed I'd have to slow down significantly on Sunday to keep the proper effort.  However, I was pleasantly surprised when I only had to ease up slightly - averaging just over 7:00 pace (I'd expected to be running 7:15 ish, given the weather).

Of course, I'm already deliberately running my marathon pace workouts slower than I was during the Boston cycle (targeting 7:00 as compared to 6:45) to protect against overreaching during this training re-cycle, so it may simply be that I didn't need to adjust much further.

I also test-drove a pair of "arm-coolers" this morning - like arm-warmers, but made with an extremely lightweight fabric that is supposed to have a cooling effect.  Perhaps it was the placebo effect, but they really seemed to work.  My arms felt cool - I didn't feel the sun at all on my arms while the breeze felt amplified.  And I overall felt much more comfortable than I expected.

Again, perhaps the placebo effect, but I don't care.  I'll take the help.

(Arm-coolers are sold in most cycling stores and on most cycling websites.  They're not terribly expensive either.)

***

I'm pretty happy with how things are going so far this re-cycle - I've felt fairly good despite the return to marathon training.  One explanation may be that I've been emphasizing sleep during the past couple weeks.  One podcast I listen to recently described sleep as "legal doping" and some very good masters runners have told me that their secret is maxing out their sleep.

So I've been trying to do that - sleeping at least 8 hours and trying to go for 8:30 or more when I can.  It's really hard to carve out that much time for sleep, especially when working a job that requires a lot of international phone calls.  And making sure not to neglect loved ones.   But I've managed to do it the past few weeks, and it seems to be paying off.


Dailies

Monday: Foam rolling, yoga, and 8 "miles" of pool-running.

Tuesday: 12.5 miles, including a 3 mile warm-up (8:49), then a track workout of 2000, 1600, 1200, 800, 400 in 7:55, 6:18, 4:35, 2:55, 82.  3.5 mile cool-down (9:18)  Also injury prevention work and 1400 yards recovery swimming.

Wednesday: 8 miles very easy to yoga (9:21), yoga, and then 4.5 miles very easy (9:17), plus drills and 4 strides.  Foam rolling at night.

Thursday:  Upper body weights/core, DIY yoga, and 10 "miles" of pool-running; foam rolling at night. 

Friday: 12.5 miles, including 3 mile warm-up (9:03), then a track workout of 3200, 1600 in 12:51 (6:28/6:23) and 6:04.  6 mile cool-down (8:53), plus injury prevention work and 1100 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling in the evening.

Saturday: 10.5 miles very easy (9:10), drills and four strides, and then upper body weights and core and DIY yoga.  Foam rolling in afternoon.

Sunday:  16 miles, including 2x5 miles in 35:14 (7:06//7:05/7:00/7:04/6:59 - average pace 7:03) and 35:12 (7:02/7:06/7:01/7:06/6:57 - average pace 7:02).  Followed with injury prevention work and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling in the evening.