This week was 57 miles of running, 16 "miles" of pool-running and 3000 yards of swimming -- training log is here.
More hills and more aerobic running. If the metaphoric goal of a training cycle is to mold a sculpture, then I'm in the clay gathering stage. Which is kinda fun since I enjoy strengthwork and dislike track workouts.
I'm feeling pretty darn strong right now, and also finally starting to miss the track, so I think I'm ready to transition out of this phase into regular training again.
This coming week I'm planning on hopping into at least one road mile, possibly two. One race is on Wednesday night, the other on Saturday night. I don't have terribly high expectations for either, since I'm not really racing sharp right now. But it will be fun to get back out there.
The week after, I'll get back on the track. Which I'm looking forward to as well.
In other news, about two weeks ago I started tapering off of the drug I'd been taking since mid-May to manage my mild ulcerative colitis (Rowasa). My symptoms are cleared up, and the drug gave me continual light nausea and also some insomnia, so it made sense to try to stop it.
The taper schedule has me taking the medication every other evening. And I've noted that when I lift in the morning after taking the Rowasa, I am notably less strong than the mornings after not taking it. It's the difference between pressing 30 or 35 pound dumbbells. And in how hard it is to hold my planks.
Which makes me wonder if my not-so-stellar late spring performances can be attributed at least partially to the Rowasa.
There's no way to know for sure, and I'm told that this is not a known side effect. But I'm hoping I'll be able to stay off of the Rowasa in the future and avoid this issue, if it is an issue.
Dailies:
Monday: Yoga and 5 "miles" pool-running in the morning, another 3 "miles" pool-running in the afternoon, foam rolling at night.
Tuesday: 12 miles, including 2x2.5 miles in 13:09 (6:28 pace) and 13:33 (6:37 pace) with half mile jog between the two. Full recovery and then did 2 hill repeats of 60-70 seconds with 2:30 jogging recovery between the two. Followed with injury prevention work and 1000 yards easy swimming. Foam rolling at night.
Wednesday: 8 miles very easy (8:56), drills and strides, yoga, and then another 4 miles very easy (8:49). Sports massage in afternoon.
Thursday: Upper body weights, core, and 8 "miles" of pool-running. Foam rolling at night.
Friday: 12 miles, including 8 hill repeats (about 2 minutes up, then ~1:30 jog, then ~30 second stride, and ~60 second jog down to base of hill). Followed with injury prevention work and 1000 yards easy swimming. Foam rolling at night.
Saturday: 10 miles very easy (8:54), drills and strides, followed by upper body weights, core, and DIY yoga. Foam rolling at night.
Sunday: 12 miles, including an alternating workout of 2 hill repeats of 60-70 seconds, then 10 minutes at tempo (6:26); then 2 hill repeats of 60-70 seconds, then 10 minutes at tempo (6:25), then 2 hill repeats of 60-70 seconds. [2:30 recovery between hill repeats; 3:00 recovery between hills and tempo and 1:30 recovery between tempo and hills]. Followed with injury prevention work and 1000 yards easy swimming. Foam rolling at night.
As a pharmacist... if you notice a difference with or without the drug, it's the drug! I never doubt my patients' side effects. Sometimes I will get reports from patients about a particular side effect with a particular medication for years, and then finally the manufacturer adds it to labeling.
ReplyDeleteThanks - really insightful. It was hard to know - I also felt warm when taking the Rowasa, but...it was around the time our weather got warmer, so hard to know...
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