Training log - Week ending September 10, 2023

This week was 69 miles of running, 1000 yards of swimming, and 9 "miles" of pool-running -- training log is here.

Last week of training.  The biggest thing of note is that I started iron supplements after noting late last week that my iron was low.  

[for those of you who geek out about this stuff - my ferritin was actually normal/high at 125.  But because I have ulcerative colitis, ferritin can often be artificially inflated, and isn't reliable.  Instead the number I look at is the transferrin saturation.  Mine was 17% which is significantly low.]

The iron supplements are clearly working because I perked up within a few days (the same thing happened last time I was low) and had a pretty good workout on Tuesday (as well as Friday and Sunday).

I intentionally shortened my Sunday long run from 20 miles to 18 - this was primarily because it was hot and I really didn't need another 20+.  I've run great marathons off of just one 20+ mile long run.  Essentially once I get my endurance set, I get a lot more from work at marathon pace or a bit faster than I do from simple time and miles on my feet.  And (especially given the iron issues) it seemed like I gained more than I lost from cutting 2-3 easy miles off of the beginning of the run.

Dailies:

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

Tuesday:  10 miles, including a track workout of 5x1000, 400, 2x200 in 4:23, 4:15, 4:08, 4:07, 4:07, 95, 46, and 46.  Recoveries of 2:4x-3:0x after the 1000s, 90 seconds recovery between the 400 and 200s.   Followed with leg strengthwork.  Foam rolling in evening.
 

Wednesday: 11 miles very easy (9:28) with some grass running and uphill/downhill strides, followed by streaming yoga.  Foam rolling in evening.

Thursday: 7 miles trail running (10:19) and upper body weights/core.  Foam rolling in evening.

Friday: 10 miles, including a 6400m track tempo in 28:02 (7:14/6:58/6:56/6:54).  Followed with leg strengthwork and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling at night.

Saturday: 12.5 miles very easy (9:10) plus drills and uphill/downhill strides, followed by streaming pilates.  Foam rolling at night.

Sunday: 18 miles progressive, split as the first 6 miles averaging 9:48 pace, then next 5 miles averaging 8:23 pace, and the next 7 miles averaging 7:39 pace, plus a half-mile cooldown jog. Followed with injury prevention work and 500 yards recovery swimming.  Foam rolling at night.