Weekly Running Report: May 17, 2020

Hi Everyone! Hope you are all doing well!

How's training going for you? Any virtual races, which ones? If not, how are you staying motivated during all this?

This was week three since my solo marathon. "They say" that it takes about three weeks to get back to "normal", we'll see how that goes. Meanwhile also getting a couple extra miles in for the #GVRAT1000k. lol.. 

My Week in Training: 

Monday: 7 miles before work. Sunday, hydrated, relaxed, used my Belifu TENS, and in bed on time. Wasn't ready for bed, but in bed on time and tossed and turned a bit. Up before my alarm and tried to fall back asleep. Nope. Up and tired. Coffee and workout. Felt much better after. Crazy how getting the heart reate going wakes you up! Out the door by 6. Cool air, probably should of had gloves to start, but air was nice! Calves still a bit sore. Moving along, 7:50's until my hills, 8's after. 8:15 to finish. Much better pace for how I felt. lol.. Felt tired, sore, and slow. Pretty happy with it overall. 

Tuesday: 3.11 miles before work. Monday, foam rolled and in bed early. Up a couple times, but an excellent night's rest! Coffee and workout, workout a bit slow to start but got all my reps in before heading out. Out the door by 6:15. Legs a little better, but still feel it in my calves. high 7:50's before my midway hill, at least 8:05 after. Could of easily maintained or faded a bit more. Working on breathing and paying attention to foot strike brought it back down to the 7:50's. Couple more hills to go faded to past 8 again before the end. Felt pretty decent for not having fresh legs though.  

Wednesday: 7 miles before work. Monday, foam rolled and in bed on time ready to get some rest! Tired and ready, but tossed and turned for a bit. And then up multiple times before my alarm. Up a few minutes early. Coffee and workout felt decent, and got a couple extra sets in. Stretch my back out and out the door by 6. Brisk out! Frost warning! But felt good.(good thing we haven't done summer flowers/veggies yet), saw some frost on cars! Legs not completely fresh, but feeling much better than Monday. Ended up being similar results though. 8:05 ish after my midway hill and fading a bit at each additional hill/incline. Did feel pretty good, happy overall, just similar results to a day I was much more tired.

Thursday: 7 miles before work. (usually 1-3.11 mi?). Wed, in bed on time, and woke up early. Tossing and turning  for a bit, then thought to myself, if you feel alright, you can work on your #GVRAT1000k avg.. lol... Coffee and workout done. Watch alert that battery was low! Oh crap, didn't charge last night! Charged enough before heading out at 6. Feeling alright. Going to do a "comfortable" 7 miler. Was thinking 8:30. Well, settled in to very similar paces as Mon/Wed. Felt good to maintain there, didn't over do it... this was the same pace as Monday, but comfortable. Wed was fun, but more work for a mere 3 seconds, and today was laid back, hills less of a struggle. 

Friday: 5 miles before work. Thu, supported a local restaurant take-out and participated in Thirsty Thursday. In bed on time, but not quality rest, and up before my alarm. Coffee and workout. Stretch my back out and out the door by 6. With doing 7 yesterday, was going to do a "comfortable" 5 today. Well, tired, sore, and much warmer/humid! Through the motions, but not as much fun. Tired from doing extra miles and poor rest, sore from the same. Humid and feeling dehydrated. Ice bath was refreshing and will be sure to hydrate well for tomorrow's long run!

Saturday: 14 miles. Long runday, trail day, yay! Yesterday, temps went up in Pa, 85+ degrees, we just had frost the other day! Was tired and felt dehydrated yesterday. Hydrated like heck! Carb loaded, foam rolled, and in bed on time. Up a few times overnight but ended up sleeping until my alarm, first time this week! Coffee, routine, stretch my back out, and at my trail by 6. My trail Pennypack Creek, Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood Rd. Did the more gradual incline side to Rockledge Park first. Started out a bit tired, questioned my decision to do 14. (not on a plan, but figured since I did 13 last week, might as well do 14?). Started to feel better as I warmed up. My trail is 11 mi (back and forth), may be doing some time at each end nearby. Got to the Rockledge end and went off into the nearby neighborhood, a nice steep hill, and off onto their main street for a few minutes and back. Fueled at the 1 hour mark. Plans to go to the other side of my trail, but bumped into two friends before the midway parking lot, turned around! back to Rockledge again! (didn't make it to the parking lot, skipped my only chance to hydrate, 'doh!). Slowed down a few seconds to chat, yada, yada and then we broke off from one of them. Continuing on to Rockledge, will have to make up about 10 minutes somewhere. Well, at the end of our trail there is a path that has been cut back. My buddy talked me into exploring for a few minutes. Definitely trail running now. Rough rocks, roots, mud with planks over the worst parts of the mud, definitely a little more hazardous if you are accident prone (me). No issues, we made it to the end. One thing to say, this path is in a bit of a valley, hard to see what is on either side above, so much litter from either side, it was a shame. And under a bridge there was a shady fire pit, beer cans, etc. This path isn't really part of my main trail, but looks like someone is trying to add it to be part of it, hope it gets better, but I digress.. Back to my main trail and heading back. Maintaining 9:00 pace, but was tired at the end, glad I had my friend there to keep my mind off that. Half of my trail is about 5.5 (back and forth), adding a bit at the end of both passes, thought I may have to circle around for a few minutes but hit 14 mi just a bit past my car at the other end of the midway parking lot before the light. 

Miscellaneous cardio: 3+ hours of yard work. (mulch and flowers, back hurts just a bit!)

Full pics on Facebook

Sunday:  3.11 miles. "Rest" day/Streak day. I use that term loosely now.. lol.. Feeling the extra miles just a bit.. Woke up in a bit of pain from yard work. Back from digging/carrying mulch, and inner thighs from squatting while planting, and overall soreness from yesterday's run. Hydrated very well yesterday, offset a little by drinks, but still well hydrated. Coffee and taking my time this morning, out the door around 8. Planned on taking it easy. Started out slightly faster than planned, 7:45's, but settled in around 8. 8:06 at the top of my midway hill and the voice in my head had me pick it up after leveling out. Couple more hills and done. Could of easily faded a bit but maintained. Will be taking it easy remainder of the day, focus on recovery to get back at it tomorrow. 

Weekly Summary:

Miles: 46 miles completed. 

#GVRAT1000k: 5.2 mi/day avg needed to complete. Current avg: 6.41 (05/01-current)  
Strength Training: Goal 100 minutes. 161 minutes completed. 
What type of strength training do I do? Core: crunches, planks, leg raises. Weights: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest. 
Training Plan: 

Not back on the plan yet, but would be using the below.

Image from Coach Jenny Hadfield

Race Schedule: 

05.01-08.31.2020 The "Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee 1000k". A good challenge for me. The daily/weekly/monthly average is just a bit beyond my training. My peak marathon training weeks barely meet it. Should be a good challenge to keep me ready till fall training. 

10.11.2020 - Chicago Marathon

11.22.2020 - Philly Marathon

Good luck to everyone with training! Kick some butt! 

If you do any races, please remember to review them on BibRave.com! Your opinions help other runners decide what races to run! #BibChat Follow me on BibRave Joe G