Monday, September 27, 2010

training 9/27-10/3

9/27- Just my 3rd workout in the past 5 days and I still feel over trained. Workout was 10 miles in 79:56 (8:00 pace), about 2 minutes slower than my normal and it felt just as hard. My dream of a BQ ends here. I am quite disappointed. I should have known that the training earlier this month was unsustainable but I expected that a rest day would leave me refreshed. I would have thought that my paces would slow but if I can't handle 60 MPW over the long haul , I can't run a 3:10. I will take 4 days off then take it fairly easy leading up to my half mary. I can still salvage a good Fall racing season and maybe now that the mileage won't be as crucial, I can still get that 5K PR. The good news is that I am not injured but I am afraid of an adrenal fatigue relapse.
Grade:B-/2 credits/distance=10.0

9/28-10/1- Unplanned rest days.
Grade:F/2 credits/distance=0

10/2- Slept for over 10 hours and still had some soreness in the groin area but overall not too bad. Plenty of energy. My Garmin was low on batteries so I had to run naked (running lingo for no watch). I do know that my first 4 miles were near 7:40 then just relaxed over the next 5. I took a rest to drink and walk for about 2 minutes then let it loose with a 5:55 mile with a final lap in 81 seconds. Good solid but not exhausting workout. The fear of a relapse has diminished.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=11.0

Monday, September 20, 2010

training 9/20-9/26 (sharp cut back)

Note: After seeing a lot of views of this post, I feel I owe my readers an explantion. My mileage had been in the 60s in preparation for a long shot attempt at a BQ. My body failed me because of a combination of over training and body chemistry that was rapidly becoming extremely unbalanced. This was my last good week before I melted down and ended up injured.

9/20- Elective rest day. 2 days after 20 miler. I am tired but not exhausted. The flat local 5K has been postponed by the RD so I will opt for a time trial instead. I still think I have a chance at a PR. I ran 19:48 last winter solo and I know I'm in much better shape now. I need 19:13 for an all time PR and 19:27 for a comeback PR. A sub-19:13 would be the first time I've beaten a PR at a distance that I raced in high school.

9/21- Johnny's workout. 6x600 in 1:58 (1:55-2:00). Extended rest then a 400 in 68. Overall pace was 5:12/mile. Solid but unspectacular. Calf muscles are still sore despite the rest day and just didn't feel fresh. A bit of a concern. I must slow my easy runs.
Grade:B/2 credits/distance=4.0

9/22- Trak Shak 5 in 32:28 (6:30 pace). Another course PR! Yes! That's 3:15 per 800 and I think that sub-3:11 per 800 translates to BQ shape. It's going to be close but I don't think I'm quite there yet. Still a bit of stiffness in the calf but plenty of energy today.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=6.0

9/23- Easy 5 in 39:39 (7:56 pace). Not tired at all from yesterday, felt quite strong. Deliberately took it easy and hope that it will be easy enough to perform at my best on Saturday. That 5 M time trial projects to a 3:10:59 on McMillan! Here's the link:
http://www.mcmillanrunning.com/cgi-bin/calc.pl
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=5.0

9/24- Rest day

9/25- Frustratingly close. Again! Legs were stiff from the get go and just didn't have my best stuff. Worked hard from the half mile on. Should not have felt much effort until the end of Mile 1. (6:15-6:19-6:16)+ 41= 19:31. Best time of the year. 4 short of last year, 18 away from my all time best in '98. Tied for #3 all time so I'm not terribly upset. Is this goal going to be just beyond my reach? I'm not declaring my quest for 3:10 to be over yet but it's not looking good.
Grade:B+/3 credits/distance=5.0

9/26- Pretty much a forced rest day. Calves and shins are still abnormally sore. Not pleased at all and I will penalize myself for this.
Grade:F/1 credit/distance=0

Weekly summary:
Part of me thought my body was bulletproof after getting off the Lithium. Not so. 3 hard runs, 1 easy one and an unscheduled rest day. I will not declare my BQ quest over just yet but it looks like I'm just not ready to handle the training. For the first time in a month, I am disappointed in my week and am really showing signs of over training. I'll try to survive a week in the low 50s next then do little-nothing race week.
Distance=20.0/GPA= 27.6/9= 3.07

Monday, September 13, 2010

training 9/13-9/19

9/13- MLR on Lakeshore. 12 miles @ 7:44 pace. Strong as a bull. Really got in the groove in the last 3 miles. Felt like I could have gone at least 10 more at this pace. When I'm fresh, I will be flying. Felt a bit tired this morning but ready to go in the afternoon. I MUST cut out sugar and caffeine. It may give me a temporary hit of energy when I'm tired from over training but the crash will be worse. Going for 65 this week.
Grade:A/2 credits/distance=12.0

9/14- First run as a 30 year old was a forgettable performance. Veteran's Park 5 miler in 39:56 (7:59 pace) and had to work for the sub-8. This was less than 12 hours after my last workout so I'm not disappointed. I had enough energy to run but my legs were trash.
Grade:C+/1 credit/distance=5.5

9/15- Trak Shak 8 in 57:04 (7:08 pace). Hard and hilly tempo effort. New course PR by quite a margin. Plenty of energy left at the end. Felt great. This would have been good for 6:50s on Lakeshore and I was far from fresh. I'm ready for the half mary now.
Grade:A+/2 credits/distance=8.5

9/16- Easy 7 @ 7:37 pace. Tried a fast finish at the end and just didn't have sub-6 speed at the end so I backed off. Felt a bit weak towards the end but still a solid run.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=7.5

9/17- Veteran's Park recovery jog untimed at glacial pace with zero effort. Just what I planned.
Grade:Pass/0 credit/distance=5.5

9/18- Most bizarre dream ever: I saw a girl that I like but couldn't smile at her because I was growing hair on my teeth. I went to the dentist who prescribed marijuana to solve the problem and even showed me before and after pictures of other patients. I laughed so hard. I woke up with some soreness in the calf and wasn't sure if I could do this but resolved to give it a shot. Pace was steady in the upper 7:40s and felt my best between miles 8-12. Faded badly after Mile 16 but I think it was the heat that got to me. It was 80 degrees at the end with sunny skies but low humidity. Managed to keep pace below 8:00 through 17 and managed 8:15s for 18 and 19 then took an extended drink break and pulled off a 7:17 (BQ pace) for Mile 20. Overall time was 2:36:33. Pace per mile: 7:50. New PR for 20 mile by 9 sec/mile.
Grade:A-/2 credit/distance=20.0

9/19- Easy 6 in 45:48. Even pace for the first 5 then ran the last mile at BQ marathon pace because I could. Overall pace was 7:38. Strong. Cool down at the end.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=6.5

Weekly summary:
Very good week. Need to slow down on my easy runs just like RWOL has suggested. 60 miles worth of runs at sub-8 pace. I like that. Next week is a sharp cut back. Unfortunately, my planned 5K may be canceled so I may have to go for it alone in a time trial.
Distance=65.5/ GPA= 33/9=3.67

Monday, September 6, 2010

training 9/6-9/12

9/6- Trak Shak 8 @ 7:55. That's probably the equivalent of mid-upper 7:40s on Lakeshore. Struggled early but go in the groove later on. Could have gone 10 but this is a cut back week. Probably will rest tomorrow and do a double on Wednesday.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=8.5

9/7- Well earned rest day. Body was completely exhausted by the evening.

9/8- AM- Progression run with group. Finished at 8 miles @ an average pace of 7:32 with the last 2 miles in 6:51 and 6:38 while going slightly uphill. Not as strong as last week but today, I ran away from the group and nobody could catch me. Would have been faster with a buddy.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=8.0
PM- Trak Shak 7 @ 7:40 pace. Slowed a bit at the end but that was by design. I didn't mean to run this one faster than 7:45-7:50 and I hope I don't pay for it tomorrow.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.5

9/9- Easy 6 @ 7:53 pace followed by a 3 mile tempo @ 6:49 with a 6:37 last mile. Strong.
Grade:A-/2 credits/distance=9.5

9/10- Easy 5 on the 'mill @ 7:58 pace. Boring.
Grade:B/1 credit/distance=5.0

9/11- Riverwalk run in Louisville. 6.5 miles progression style. Average pace just under 7:40 but the last 4 averaged 7:19 and dipped under 6:52 in the last mile (goal HM pace). Solid. Needed a nap in the afternoon.
Grade:B+/1 credit/distance=7.0

9/12- Lower mileage left me fresher than normal and it showed today. Finished 9 miles in 69:15 (7:42 pace). 1st half @ 7:37, 2nd half @ 7:47 and I actually tried to slow to 8:00 pace. Strong.
Left Louisville just before noon, should be back to the Ham before 6.
Grade:A-/1 credit/distance=9.5

Weekly summary:
Solid week. Nothing spectacular but this was actually a cutback week and I still hit 55 with all of it under 8:00 pace. I know I'm in better shape than Baton Rouge last year but by how much. I'm a little down on my chances at 3:10 simply because I may not have enough healthy training. The race is 3 months away and I only have 7-8 weeks of good training to go. I want to get over 60 next week and follow it with a sharp cut back for a 5K PR attempt.
Distance=55.0/GPA= 31.4/9= 3.49