Training log - Week ending 8/6/2023

This week was 61 miles of running, 1500 yards of swimming, and 21"miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.

The week started off poorly, with a frustrating track workout where I was essentially stuck at my tempo pace for intervals.  In retrospect, it was simply because the track workout was too close to Sunday's 16 miler, which was followed by some heavy squatting.  So I'll file that workout under "it's the effort that counts."

I moved my marathon effort workout up to Friday to take advantage of better weather, and ended up being very happy with the results.  I had planned on doing the 4-3-2-1 workout (4, 3, 2, and 1 miles at marathon effort with 1 mile between), but I hit a good rhythm during the first 4, and decided on the fly to swap to 2x5 miles at marathon effort.  The marathon effort miles all felt good and controlled and like I could have continued on (which is the ideal when doing a marathon effort workout, IMHO) so I felt pretty good about it.

Since I did my long run on Sunday and my next hard workout isn't until Tuesday morning, I used Sunday morning to run a whole bunch of 100s, 200s, and even a few 400s, wearing different shoes and playing with different mental cues.  The winners ended up being the Takumi Sen 8 (other choices were the Adios 7, the Adidas Adizero Pro, and the New Balance RC Elite 1).  

As for mental cues - the best cues for me in running fast and smoothly seem to be engaging my transverse abdominus (deep abdominals) while allowing my stride to extend behind me (not in front of me) with some torso rotation.  And keeping my feet relaxed.  It also helps to visualize a harness tied around my hips pulling me forward - when I try to push forward I try too hard with my legs and get stiff and slow down.

Not sure if those mental cues will help anyone else, but they were working for me.  At least for today.

Dailies:

Monday:  9 "miles" pool-running and streaming yoga.  Foam rolling in evening.

Tuesday:  10 miles, with a track workout of 2x800, 1600, 2x800, 2x400 in 3:30, 3:29, 7:00, 3:21, 3:21, 1:37, and 1:38; 2:4x-2:5x recovery after the 800s, 6:01 recovery after the 1600 and 88 seconds between the 400s.  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling in evening.
 

Wednesday: 11 miles very easy (9:38), including some grass-running and drills/downhill strides; upper body weights/core later.   Foam rolling in evening.

Thursday: 9 "miles" pool-running and streaming yoga.  Foam rolling in evening.

Friday: 17 miles, including 2x5 miles at marathon effort with 1 mile easy/float (9:00 pace) between. Splits were 37:47 (7:33 pace) and 37:41 (7:32 pace).  Followed with injury prevention work and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling at night.

Saturday: 9 miles very easy trail running (11:12) plus drills/strides and then upper body weights/core plus 3 "miles" pool-running.  Foam rolling at night.

Sunday: 14 miles with a collection of 100s, 200s, and 400s done with full recovery.  Final 200s were the fastest, at 46 seconds. Followed with injury prevention work and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling at night.