Week in review and a few other things

The weather in New England has been brutal this week. I love winter running and cold weather, but running in -10-20 degrees (due to wind chill) has required a great deal of preparation. Sure, I can always choose the treadmill, but I dislike it so much that I will do anything to avoid it.

This week was a planned recovery week. It did not end up being a recovery week per se, but I made myself cut down my miles to 65. I also replaced my typical moderate progression run on Tuesday with an easy run. I did not feel I needed more recovery, because overall I feel great. My knee has been fine (untaped) for about 2 weeks now, and I have no niggles or concerns about my body. Sure, my legs are tired, but it is the kind of tired that you are supposed to feel when running hard, the kind of tired that leads to adaptation...at least this is what I tell myself:)

So here are the details:

Monday: 
a.m. 8.5 miles @ 6:50 with 8x 3 min @ 5:50-6:10 on 1 min rest (full stop and walk). These were supposed to be done @ 10K pace, but I decided that I would benefit from a bit more actual speed and after the first couple @ 6:10, I pushed the pace a bit and allowed myself to walk for recovery. Competitor running had a nice article this past week about how walking for recovery leads to similar physiological adaptations as easy running for recovery (though it is so much easier for me to walk than run for recovery, ha!). These were hard for me. Funny how I used to love intervals because I was used to them, and now I hate them and really like tempos (which I used to hate) because I am doing a lot of tempo work. Ha!

p.m. 3.5 miles recovery very easy no watch.

Tuesday:
p.m. 10 miles easy with 1.5 mile uphill. No watch. Very cold!

Wednesday:
a.m. 6 miles easy on trails with no watch. Felt good so did 10x10 secs hill sprints. Very cold, did not think I would make it the entire way.

Thursday:
a.m. 10 miles @ 7:06 as progression, first 5 miles MAF+5, last 5 miles building up to MAF+10, +15 and all out last mile. Last 5 miles were sub 7 with last mile 6:13 HR 186 (my 5 K HR). Very cold and windy. Water bottles froze so had no water. My neck warmer got wet from my breathing and froze. Crazy temps!

p.m. 3.5 miles recovery no watch. Legs felt pretty good so ended up running faster than usual, no watch though.

Friday
p.m. 4 miles recovery. Felt great so added 5x20 secs strides.

Saturday
a.m 14.5 miles. Thirteen miles @ 7:05 like this: first 5 miles @ 7:25 to the Fresh Pond race; five minute bathroom stop before the race started; race: 4.95 miles in 33:09 6:41; 5 minute or so rest, then 3 miles @ 7:25. Then 1.5 mile straight uphill with no watch (made a deal with myself to take this route but allow myself to go super slow, which I did, like 9 minute miles or slower probably).

Sunday:
4.5 miles planned, no watch, on trails.

I feel pretty good about this week. My fitness in up there. This is the first time I did the Fresh Pond race with the hills added on, and, as much as I hated them, I reminded myself that they will make me stronger. The race was more of a TT, as I ran alone the entire time (only person who did the 2 loops, I think), and considering the conditions and the unstable footing (packed snow), I ran very well. I also did not push as hard as I could have, which is a theme for this training cycle. I am not pushing my workouts all out anymore, except in the last few minutes of the last interval or mile of a tempo. Not sure if this is fear of suffering or being smart, but since I am certainly getting faster, I'll keep doing what I am doing.

Four more weeks until my first half marathon. Two or 3 more Fresh Pond races to get myself used to being in a ~ race situation again. Super excited to see a huge breakthrough at a certain race tomorrow, by a certain someone who is going to surprise everyone who does not check her daily mile with her performances this year!