Forced rest.
My shin pain has progressed to the next level. My right one is now aching even when I walk and my left one is increasingly becoming more and more sore to the touch. I think that the only wise move for me now is to take a couple days off and let my body heal.
I'm pretty much addicted to running now so I'm not enjoying the prospects but it's probably for the best since I've been having trouble taking it easy on the taper.
I'm thinking that I'll take three days off and then hopefully put in some easy miles this weekend depending on how I feel.
Wednesday, September 30, 2009
Tuesday, September 29, 2009
Day 111
Training is winding down. I'm committing to my taper.
Today. 4 miles at base pace.
Distance: 4.19
Duration: 34:05
Pace: 8:08
HR Avg/Max: 146/158
notes:
Temperature was 62 degrees. Perfect for running. Kept a good steady relaxed pace. My right shin was bugging me a bit but overall I felt good. My head cold is subsiding. I feel great right now but I can tell that in a few days I'm really going to have to hold myself back from doing a hard workout.
Today. 4 miles at base pace.
Distance: 4.19
Duration: 34:05
Pace: 8:08
HR Avg/Max: 146/158
notes:
Temperature was 62 degrees. Perfect for running. Kept a good steady relaxed pace. My right shin was bugging me a bit but overall I felt good. My head cold is subsiding. I feel great right now but I can tell that in a few days I'm really going to have to hold myself back from doing a hard workout.
Sunday, September 27, 2009
day 110
last of the long runs
Distance: 14 miles
Duration: 2:04:42
Pace: 8:55
HR Avg/Max: 142/154
notes:
I'm sick with a head cold. The run sucked but I made myself do it anyway. It felt lousy but I got it done. Being sick sucks, but it's probably happening at the best possible time. Plenty of time to get well before the marathon.
Also I broke the 500 mile mark today. I've now completed 510.84 miles since I started my marathon training 16 weeks ago.
Distance: 14 miles
Duration: 2:04:42
Pace: 8:55
HR Avg/Max: 142/154
notes:
I'm sick with a head cold. The run sucked but I made myself do it anyway. It felt lousy but I got it done. Being sick sucks, but it's probably happening at the best possible time. Plenty of time to get well before the marathon.
Also I broke the 500 mile mark today. I've now completed 510.84 miles since I started my marathon training 16 weeks ago.
Saturday, September 26, 2009
Day 109
Day 109 a.k.a. The last of the fast...
I have a confession to make. I feel like I rely a little too much on my watch. During my average run I'm looking at it constantly; counting down the miles, checking and rechecking my pace, checking my heart rate, estimating my finishing time... As much as I try I just can't seem to ignore it for more than 30 seconds at a time. So, today I decided to try a little experiment.
I taped a piece of paper over my watch face so I couldn't see what it said and decided to go out and run "blindly". Today was supposed to be a marathon pace day so I figured I'd go out and see how close I could hit pace without knowing how fast I was going.
Here's how I did.
Distance: 4.03 miles
Duration: 27:56
Pace: 6:56
HR Avg/Max: 164/179
notes:
Utterly failed at my pacing efforts as usual. I went out at what I felt was a brisk but relaxed pace. By the end of the first mile I could tell that I was going too fast by how hard I was breathing but I still felt pretty good. By the end of the second mile I was starting to hurt but I figured that it was partly just cumulative exhaustion from the last couple weeks. Mile three I decided I might as well go for broke and at least hold my pace for one more mile and then see what I had left for my four... Mile four I gave it all and pushed all the way home.
Splits:
Mile 1: 7:03
Mile 2: 7:05
Mile 3: 7:02
Mile 4: 6:30
Very even splits for the first three miles which was good. As I was running the pain was getting progressively worse but I managed it well and didn't let it slow me down at all. The last mile was hell but it felt good to push myself near my limits for one last time before the marathon.
Tomorrow I run my last "long" run and after that I plan on taking it very easy until marathon time. The last few weeks of workouts have been intense and hopefully they will benefit me in both confidence and fitness come marathon time. But for now I think that I've attained all the fitness I can expect to get before the marathon and that the best thing I can do for myself is force myself to slow it down and allow myself to recuperate.
I might throw a few 1-2 minute fartleks into next Wednesdays workout but besides that this is the last run I plan to do at a pace which is anything faster than marathon pace so help me god!
I have a confession to make. I feel like I rely a little too much on my watch. During my average run I'm looking at it constantly; counting down the miles, checking and rechecking my pace, checking my heart rate, estimating my finishing time... As much as I try I just can't seem to ignore it for more than 30 seconds at a time. So, today I decided to try a little experiment.
I taped a piece of paper over my watch face so I couldn't see what it said and decided to go out and run "blindly". Today was supposed to be a marathon pace day so I figured I'd go out and see how close I could hit pace without knowing how fast I was going.
Here's how I did.
Distance: 4.03 miles
Duration: 27:56
Pace: 6:56
HR Avg/Max: 164/179
notes:
Utterly failed at my pacing efforts as usual. I went out at what I felt was a brisk but relaxed pace. By the end of the first mile I could tell that I was going too fast by how hard I was breathing but I still felt pretty good. By the end of the second mile I was starting to hurt but I figured that it was partly just cumulative exhaustion from the last couple weeks. Mile three I decided I might as well go for broke and at least hold my pace for one more mile and then see what I had left for my four... Mile four I gave it all and pushed all the way home.
Splits:
Mile 1: 7:03
Mile 2: 7:05
Mile 3: 7:02
Mile 4: 6:30
Very even splits for the first three miles which was good. As I was running the pain was getting progressively worse but I managed it well and didn't let it slow me down at all. The last mile was hell but it felt good to push myself near my limits for one last time before the marathon.
Tomorrow I run my last "long" run and after that I plan on taking it very easy until marathon time. The last few weeks of workouts have been intense and hopefully they will benefit me in both confidence and fitness come marathon time. But for now I think that I've attained all the fitness I can expect to get before the marathon and that the best thing I can do for myself is force myself to slow it down and allow myself to recuperate.
I might throw a few 1-2 minute fartleks into next Wednesdays workout but besides that this is the last run I plan to do at a pace which is anything faster than marathon pace so help me god!
Thursday, September 24, 2009
Day 108
BLAH! Right now I'm fucking toast. My hard training has finally caught up to me and my legs feel like they've been beat with bats. Climbing stairs in a chore. Walking sucks.
Figured I'd better go easy today...
Distance: 6.18 miles
Duration: 55:00
Pace: 8:54
HR Avg/Max: 134/157
notes:
Sure enough. Legs are beyond dead. I'm like a running zombie. I was able to keep this run at a recovery pace mostly because I couldn't go any faster if I wanted to. Yesterdays speed work seems to of sucked any semblance of speed out of my body.
I'm not worried though. While technically I'm starting my taper this week I'm really thinking that I might be better off with a two week taper instead of the three weeks Uncle Hal proscribed. I'm still on course and have plenty of time to recover and if I can get myself refreshed after my last few weeks of training domination I should be an animal come marathon time!
Figured I'd better go easy today...
Distance: 6.18 miles
Duration: 55:00
Pace: 8:54
HR Avg/Max: 134/157
notes:
Sure enough. Legs are beyond dead. I'm like a running zombie. I was able to keep this run at a recovery pace mostly because I couldn't go any faster if I wanted to. Yesterdays speed work seems to of sucked any semblance of speed out of my body.
I'm not worried though. While technically I'm starting my taper this week I'm really thinking that I might be better off with a two week taper instead of the three weeks Uncle Hal proscribed. I'm still on course and have plenty of time to recover and if I can get myself refreshed after my last few weeks of training domination I should be an animal come marathon time!
Wednesday, September 23, 2009
Day 107
First Wednesday of the three week taper... I'm slowly cutting back the milage but still want to get some intensity out of this workout. Next week I'll have to really start focusing on cutting back the milage and the intensity but for now I want to squeeze every last bit of fitness out that I possibly can.
I decided to do some semi-speedwork to work on tuning up my turnover and max out my cardio.
The work out: 2 miles hard, 2 miles easy, 1 mile hard, 2 miles easy.
Total Distance: 7.0 Miles
Duration: 55:03
Avg Pace: 7:52
Here's the break down.
2 miles hard...
Duration: 12:51 (6:26, 6:25 splits)
HR Avg/Max: 166/178
2 miles easy
Duration: 16:30 (8:27, 8:03 splits)
HR Avg/Max: 157/167
1 mile hard
Duration: 6:40
HR Avg/Max: 174/180
2 miles easy
Duration: 19:02 (10:06, 8:56)
HR Avg/Max: 158/172
__________________________________________________________
notes:
another brutal workout on a hot day... I'm really spent from all the running and need to force myself to cool out pretty soon if I want to be 100% by marathon time.
I decided to do some semi-speedwork to work on tuning up my turnover and max out my cardio.
The work out: 2 miles hard, 2 miles easy, 1 mile hard, 2 miles easy.
Total Distance: 7.0 Miles
Duration: 55:03
Avg Pace: 7:52
Here's the break down.
2 miles hard...
Duration: 12:51 (6:26, 6:25 splits)
HR Avg/Max: 166/178
2 miles easy
Duration: 16:30 (8:27, 8:03 splits)
HR Avg/Max: 157/167
1 mile hard
Duration: 6:40
HR Avg/Max: 174/180
2 miles easy
Duration: 19:02 (10:06, 8:56)
HR Avg/Max: 158/172
__________________________________________________________
notes:
another brutal workout on a hot day... I'm really spent from all the running and need to force myself to cool out pretty soon if I want to be 100% by marathon time.
Tuesday, September 22, 2009
Day 106
5 easy miles.
Distance: 5.0 miles
Duration: 41:34
Pace: 8:19
HR Avg/Max: 148/169
notes:
After the last 4 days I guess there's no such thing as 5 easy miles. My heart rate was up. I was hot. My legs were stiff, tired, and I hurt!
On a positive note, it appears that my achilles pain is completely gone and my shin pain while still intermittent has not gotten any worse so I guess the conscientious icing has been paying dividends.
12 more workouts and 19 more days until the marathon!
Distance: 5.0 miles
Duration: 41:34
Pace: 8:19
HR Avg/Max: 148/169
notes:
After the last 4 days I guess there's no such thing as 5 easy miles. My heart rate was up. I was hot. My legs were stiff, tired, and I hurt!
On a positive note, it appears that my achilles pain is completely gone and my shin pain while still intermittent has not gotten any worse so I guess the conscientious icing has been paying dividends.
12 more workouts and 19 more days until the marathon!
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