Training log - Week ending 3/26/2023

This week was 53 miles of running, 1000 yards of swimming and 18 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.

Things are continuing to improve and I'm getting more stable on my feet.  We added another medication starting last Sunday that basically improves the effectiveness and duration of the stuff that I'm already on, and it seems to be helping.  

It's not obvious from the training log, but my ability to handle running in complex situations (crowds, etc) has improved dramatically.  On Tuesday I was able to actually lead a group for the second 1600 and 800 - previously my gait has just gone to hell when I've tried to do that. (Yes, I know that sounds crazy, but that's how things have been.)

On Sunday, I ran a 5K (that ended up being 3.2 miles) at marathon effort to get a bit more practice running with crowds.  This broke my rule about always racing when running a race, but the 5K was for a cause that's very important to a friend of mine (fighting colon cancer), and I didn't want to race a 5K this weekend for multiple reasons, including a late night out last night and my plans to race the Cherry Blossom 10 miler next Sunday.  [how is that for a long sentence]  So using the race to practice running at marathon pace in a crowded situation seemed like a great way to show up and support her and also do something productive for myself.  

[I don't like doing tempos during races because I worry that it builds bad habits - a tendency to conflate tempo effort with race effort.  However, marathon effort is far enough from 5K effort that I wasn't worried in this case - especially if I don't make a habit of it.]

Once again, I handled the crowds and some uneven pavement very well - pretty much like a normal person.  So that was really encouraging and makes me hopeful for Cherry Blossom next Sunday.

Monday: 9 "miles" of pool-running and upper body weights/core. Foam rolling at night. 

Tuesday: 10 miles, including a track workout of 2x(1600, 800), 2x200 in 7:00, 3:19, 6:46, 3:16, 48, and 48. 6 minute recovery after the 1600s and 3:14 recovery after the first 800.  Full recovery for the 200s.  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling at night. 

Wednesday: Streaming yoga and 10 miles very easy (9:24) plus four hill sprints and drills.  Foam rolling at night.

Thursday: 9 "miles" of pool-running and upper body weights/core.  Foam rolling at night. 

Friday: 10 miles, including a 6400m tempo in 27:57 (7:12/6:57/7:00/6:48).  Followed with two hill sprints, leg strengthwork, and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling at night. 

Saturday: 10 miles very easy on treadmill (9:39) and streaming yoga.  Foam rolling at night.

Sunday: 12.5 miles, including 3.20 miles at marathon effort (23:58 for 7:30 pace), followed by injury prevention work.  Foam rolling in the afternoon.