This week was a swim/bike recovery week, with mainly long but easy runs so far (I do have a 20 miler this weekend) except a mile repeats track workout and a 10K effort run.
After building up my swims to 6 miles with one 2.1 mile long swim, and bike rides to 125 miles with 60 miles long ride (with 4 mile "fast" run after!) I was ready for a decrease in volume.
Monday I had fun at the track, and was surprised that my legs maintained their speed. Normally mile repeats are hard for me (the shorter the interval, the better, typically), but I felt comfortable running them way faster than 5K pace. That evening I squeezed in a 15 mile ride (after doing 5 miles with intervals on the trainer) with Chris - he raced me on the way back on his hybrid bike and we were holding 20-24MPH for a bit, but then I dropped him, a first for me! Then we hang out with iced coffees and scones!
Tuesday I ran 6 easy Garmin- less miles with the last couple miles at faster than MP, and swam 1 mile with intervals. Some kid vomited in the outdoors pool and had to go finish the swim in the indoor pool. The water was hot - I thought of Michelle!
Wednesday I ran 10 easy. It was super hot and I was exhausted from work, so I took it nice and easy the entire way (Garmin-less again) and felt good. Trainer workout in the pm, with some long intervals while watching Sopranos reruns.
By Wednesday night I got bored. My longest bike of the week (which I end up doing Thursday at the crack of down, before my afternoon clinic) was to be 30 miles. Only 30? I wanted more. So I figured I am going to do 30 hard, and immediately transition to a 6 mile run at 10K pace.
The ride was great. There were threats of thunder shower but it only rained a little. I pushed the pace on the bike, but rode smart, going easy on the uphills and gaining momentum on the downhills. My legs felt great after the bike. I quickly put my running shoes on, and started the run. Immediately I realized that 10K pace is not going to happen, and planned for HM pace. Then I settled for HM to planned marathon pace, and vowed that I would NOT let myself go slower than MP. The first 3 miles I felt great, but then my legs started to burn, next nausea settled in and I had to stop and try to vomit at mile 5 (could not), so picked it up again. Something that has been working for me lately is to separate myself from the pain, by telling myself that I am a machine, I don't think, I just run, that is my job. It worked. I finished the run at a pace 13 seconds faster than planned MP, and 14 seconds slower than HM pace. And I got my treat, my grande Frappuccino, and walked a mile home sipping it and enjoying the post workout high, not even thinking about how on earth I am going to be able to run 13.1 HILLY miles (this run was fairly flat) after biking 56 HILLY miles (this ride had rolling hills, but no big climbs) if this run was so tough.
Tomorrow is a 1.2 mile swim. Boring, right? So I decided I am going to do a race pace swim (whatever that is) followed immediately by a very easy and short few miles bike. I want to do this only for the transition aspect, because I was surprised how difficult of a time I had getting my HR down after the sprint swim a while back.
Saturday 20 miles slow. It is going to be slow. We are going to NH at my in mom in law's house, and I am looking forward to getting my legs up and down some real hills. I am also looking forward to the ocean swim immediately after the run - the water over there never gets warm enough to be able to swim without a wetsuit, but it feels amazing for about 10-15 min after a hot sweaty run.
Then I'll have to get through a mile swim of intervals on Sunday. After discovering OWS, the pool workouts are tough, but a mile is really nothing.
And then, only 26 days 'till the big day!!! I am getting nervous and excited!
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10 comments:
You are a beast! Way to go with all that fantastic training.
What is OWS? I've seen that elsewhere on your blog but don't know what it is.
OWS = open water swimming
Wow. Thats all I've got :)
I wouldn't fret about how you're going to run 13.1 hilly miles in your HIM... you're going to do it, and that's that. In a race situation its different than training and there's NO QUESTION (in my mind at least) that you are completely ready for that race. More ready than most first timers anyway. :)
You always make me feel so darn lazy when I read about your killer training! Good luck on your 20 miler on Saturday!
I'm tired just reading your workout week! but you know where I'm at presently;-)
I know I keep sayin' this, but your race is gonna be so fun putting all the training pieces together.
Do you have a link for the HIM race you're doing?
You're just the Energizer Bunny! Way to go nailing all those amazing workouts! I'm excited for you, too!! Have a great weekend!!
Hi, so...how does it work with the cardboard? You put a strip of a cardboard (an inch or so)on the outer part of a shoe? Or how? Please let me know, I will do anything to get this ITB odyssey under control. I am screwed already so I do not think this might do any harm.
You are gonna rock your race! I'm exhausted just reading this....I'm close on your tail though...slowly building back up.
I am with Michelle. You will run those hilly miles. In training I never once ran a full 13.1 miles and on race day (with a hilly course) I ran those miles and I ran them faster than any of my training sessions.
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