Training log - Week ending 8/23/2020

This week was 48 miles of running, 2000 yards of swimming and 11 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here. 

This was a frustrating week.  Even though I didn't get an exact read on my fitness due to going off course at the Harrisburg Mile, I did get some sense of my fitness - not good.

And then I crashed and burned badly on my Saturday long run.  It was quite humid, but in the past I've been able to handle those conditions by simply slowing down the pace and running by effort.  Not this time - it was just a slog.

I've lost a lot of fitness dealing with this hamstring issue, even though I didn't lose that much time.  I suspect much of this is the result of a longer term disruption in my routine.  I had a carefully balanced routine of running, pool-running, swimming, yoga, and lifting that worked really well for me, but most of that stuff became out of bounds when the pandemic hit.  And, as I've learned, I am not one of those people that can run well off of just running.  I really did need all that other stuff.

Two things that I am missing right now are the sauna at the gym and heavy leg work.  I haven't mentioned it much, but I had a regular practice of sitting in a 180 degree sauna a few times a week for 10-20 minutes.  And I found that it did wonderful things in terms of improving my heat/humidity tolerance (and there are physiological reasons for this - increased blood volume, etc).

And, of course the gym also had a power cage with a barbell and bumper plates.  I regularly did heavy lifting right after my track workouts (to maximize recovery time between hard efforts).  Stuff like split squats and lunges with the barbell loaded to 100-110 pounds, or bridges with a 200 pound barbell on my hips.  It really strengthened my glutes and gave me some explosive power that has been dwindling ever since.

And yes, I know all about bodyweight exercises and I have a kettlebell at home, etc.  But...bodyweight exercise is not a replacement for heavy lifting in the same way that the elliptical is not a replacement for running.

Oh well - it is what it is.  My gym is actually open right now, but things are not yet at the stage where I am comfortable going there.  Perhaps in a few weeks.  In the mean time, the best answer is to train where my current fitness is, and do the best I can with what I have.

The good news is that my hamstring held up well this week - even on Saturday's mess where my feet and hands were cramping badly by the end, but the hamstring was fine.  I'm going to test it out with a track workout on Tuesday (until now I've been staying on the road to avoid repeated turning).

Dailies 

Monday: 8 miles, including a short tune-up workout of 4x400 conservative with 30 second jog (1:39, 1:37, 1:37, 1:38) and then 4x200 with 80 second recovery (43, 42, 41, 41). 1500 yards swimming after.   Foam rolling at night.

Tuesday: 8 miles very easy plus strides, followed by some foam rolling.

Wednesday: In the evening, 4 mile warm-up, mile race in 6:55 (went off course), with 1 mile cooldown.  

Thursday:  5.5 "miles" of pool-running and streaming yoga.  Foam rolling at night.

Friday: 10 miles very easy (9:42) followed by drills, 4 strides, upper body strengthwork and core.

Saturday: 16 miles struggle bus (9:02).  Intended to make this a progression run, but got dehydrated/electrolyte depleted despite my best efforts.  Followed up with a lot of water/sports drink, leg injury prevention work, and 500 yards of recovery swimming.  Foam rolling in afternoon.

Sunday: Streaming yoga and 55 minutes of pool-running.  Foam rolling in afternoon.