Training log - Week ending 2/8/2026

This week was 60 miles of running, 15 "miles" pool-running, and 1500 yards of swimming.

I was able to run outside some more this week, which emphasized to me just how important it is to do that. There are many tiny balance corrections and checks that I have to do when running outside that I don't have to do on the treadmill. And when I ran outside, after not having done so for a while, I noted that I was out of practice.

Similarly, skipping most of my PT exercises for a few days (because the gym was closed and our home gym setup lacks stuff like a bosu), reminded me of just how important it is to stay on top of that stuff also. It really is use it or lose it, and I lose skills and coordination very quickly when I'm not using them. 

The weather was still bad enough that I had to do two workouts on the treadmill.  Sunday's planned long run ended up being a double - I didn't want to do a full 16-18 mile progression run on the treadmill, so instead I did a shorter progression on the treadmill and then doubled with an easy pool-run.  Not exactly the same thing, but close enough for my purposes, and it kept me healthy and uninjured.

Completely separate from the above, a medication schedule change that I made a few weeks ago (but haven't gotten around to mentioning until now) has been working very well for me, so I might as well mention it.  

As background: dopamine is the neurotransmitter that my brain doesn't make very well any more, so I have to supplement it with pills.  I take a drug called Rytary, which comes in a few different size doses that can't be split. And my optimal dose of Rytary seems to be between two sizes that are offered (145 and 195).

Common wisdom in Parkinsons is that you should take a higher dose of dopamine when exercising, since you burn through it more quickly.  And this has made sense to me, because I definitely have more energy and power on the higher dose.  However, the downsides are that the higher dose also makes me more shaky and jumpy - as if I'd thrown down too many Red Bulls. Some people also have an issue with "dyskinesia" - involuntary movements of the arms, legs, neck, etc from too high a dose of dopamine.  

I don't get any obvious, visible dyskinesia from the Rytary 195.  However, at the same time, I've noted that I seem to run fast (emphasis for a reason) a bit better on the lower dose (Rytary 145), despite the fact that I feel slower and stiffer on it. 

Here's why I think that is.  Running is not just an aerobic activity but a skill.  And the faster you are trying to run, the more skill comes into play - specifically muscles firing and relaxing at exactly the right millisecond in each stride.

When I'm on the lower dose of Rytary, I feel slow and stiff - as if I'd run a hard race the day before.  But everything still works in the right sequence - I still have the skill of fast running.  

In contrast, when I'm on the higher dose of Rytary, I feel great energy wise - like I could run long distances easily (and weightlifting or power work is definitely easier on the higher dose).  But it's very hard to get my legs to do exactly what I want them to do.  That precise sequencing of muscles contracting/relaxing falls apart, with my quads or calves tensing at awkward points during my stride, etc.  And the faster I try to run, the worse it gets.  It ends up being frustrating, because I have lots of energy but just can't use it.

I've spent the last few years trying to work on my coordination while sticking with the higher dose, since (again) the common wisdom is that you need more dopamine when exercising hard.  But...a few weeks ago I decided to experiment with workouts on the lower dose. And...while I may not have as much energy, I'm coordinated enough to actually push myself and get my heartrate up and get fitter.

So...for the foreseeable future, I'm going to stick with the lower dose of Rytary pre-run, especially pre-race or pre-workout.  I do end up taking the higher dose of Rytary post-run - I've found that if I don't take the higher dose after the run, I don't feel great the rest of the day.  I'm guessing this is because I run up a dopamine debt while running that then needs to be repaid. So I've really just swapped two doses - from 195 pre-run and 145 post run to the reverse.  (I still take Rytary 145 the rest of the day, as I always have.)

I'm really interested to see how this works out for my races and training this spring.

Dailies:

Monday: 8 miles very easy (10:00) in the morning; foam rolling in evening.

Tuesday: 9 miles, including 8 Iwo Jima repeats (500m up a 2-3% incline, 250m jog, 200m downhill stride, 100m jog to the bottom; followed with leg strengthwork. Sports massage in evening.

Wednesday: 11 miles very easy outside (10:07) in the morning.  Upperbody weights/core and foam rolling in evening.

Thursday: 8 "miles" of pool-running and 500 yards of swimming in the morning, followed by PT exercises. Streaming Pilates in the afternoon; foam rolling at night.

Friday: In the morning, 10 miles on the treadmill, including a workout of 6x4:00/1:12+ 4x0:30/1:30.  The four minute intervals were at 8 mph and the 30 second intervals were at 8.7 mph.  All jogs at 6 mph. Leg strengthwork and foam rolling at night.

Saturday: 9.5 miles outside under the Whitehurst Freeway (10:16), followed by PT exercises.  1000 yards swimming in the afternoon and foam rolling at night.

Sunday: 12.5 miles on the treadmill, split as 35 minutes at easy effort (5.8-6.3 mph); 35 minutes at moderate effort (6.7-7.2 mph) and 35 minutes at marathon effort (7.5 mph).  Followed with leg strengthwork.  Later did 7 "miles" of pool-running. Foam rolling at night.