Weekly Running Report: June 14, 2020

Hi Everyone! 

Hope you are all doing well!

How's training going? Doing any virtual challenges, how'd they go? Doing any other outdoor activities to keep yourself busy?

I'm still doing the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee (for the foreseeable future), getting through some over training aches/pains, but getting through for now. Keep saying I'm going to take a rest day before I'm forced to, we'll see about that.. 

Week 3 of 20 until Chicago Marathon. 

My Week in Training:

Monday: 7 miles before work. Sunday, did an ice bath, stretch, foam roll, and in bed on time. Decent night's rest. Up a couple times but slept until my alarm. Slow to start, but coffee and workout got going. Stretch my back and shins, and out the door by 6. Weather still nice! Had a break from the heat/humidity yesterday and has carried over. In a little pain to start, it has been getting better after warming up, but not so much today. Pacing was comfortable though. 8:15 ish before the hills, faded to the 20's to maintain at 8:30. The pain started to pick up after my run, going to have to keep a closer eye on this. Originally thought to be a shin splint, now seems to be posterior tibialis tendon. Inner leg, just above the ankle. Applied KT Tape and maybe a brace to start. 

Tuesday: 5 miles after work. Monday after my run, the tendon above my inner ankle really started to throb. Stairs were a bit of a challenge. Iced, taped, stretched. Got slightly better by the end of the day, and handling stairs a little better this morning. Coffee and workout, stretch, and out the door by 6. Planned on playing it by ear, maybe 3 comfortable. Some pain at the start, but better as I warmed up. Pace was better than expected. Not trying to push it, don't think I could if I wanted to. Ended up doing 5 mi, and didn't skip my hills either.. Will continue to treat and monitor. 

Sidenote: our tiger lillies are finally starting to come in! We have plenty that are ready to burst, a few opened up since yesterday! 

Wednesday: 7 miles before work (but interrupted) Tues, stretched, foam rolled, iced above my inner ankle. Decent night's rest, up a few min early. Some discomfort with stairs, but manageable. Coffee, workout, and out the door by 6. Overall leg soreness, ankle tendon sore to start but manageable once warmed up, humid, hot, and not a fan of my hills this morning. Pacing 8:20 by my worst hill, barely under 8:30 after. Phone call from 3rd shift at 6:21, had to run home to review the issue. Reviewed and confirmed it had to be escalated elsewhere, back out the door before 6:50. Three miles to go, slightly different route. Tried picking up the pace to get back to work sooner, but not much doing. Got my scheduled 7 mi in. Later confirmed the work issue could of been avoided, 'doh! Will be continuing to treat my posterior tibialis tendon.. 

Thursday: 5 miles before work.. Wed, iced and stretched, and an ok night's rest. Up before my alarm, but fell back to sleep. Crazy how you can be wide awake before the alarm and then it's rough when it's time. lol.. Coffee and workout, stretch, and out the door by 6. Yup, another humid one. Overall soreness, slight discomfort, humidity, another fun one! Pacing thrown out the door early! 8:30 before my hills, 8:40 and trying to be comfortable through the uncomfortable conditions.. 

Friday: 16 miles. Day off from work! Moved my "long" run to today, trail day, yay! Thu, hydrated, carb loaded, stretched, iced, taped. Did participate in "Thirsty Thursday", but behaved, good night's rest and did not dehydrate. Up before my alarm, of course, think the anxiety/excitement of long run day tends to do that.. Coffee, stretch, taking my time, at my trail by 6. My trail Pennypack Creek. Doing the more wooded side to ByBerry Rd first. Doing this side first because I'll be doing it again later when it may be warmer, try to take advantage of the shade. Although the weather was not as bad today, less humidity. Starting out, could feel my ankle/shin, but gradually got better as I warmed up. Pacing 8:45 ish to start. Byberry Rd back, hydrated as I passed my car at 5.5. Off to the more open, gradual incline side to Rockledge Park. Planned on fueling at 1 hour, but forgot. Bumped into my friend just before that. Figured we run a few minutes, b.s., catch up, and then he'd take off. Our faster friend (marathon under 3:10) that usually flies by us on long run day, was good with my pace today. Unknowingly, I gradually picked it up, but of course realized it after a bit. Fueled before passing my car at 11 mi, hydrated at my car. Off to the wooded side again. Feeling it as we leave our hydration, told my friend multiple times if I slow down or hold him back to take off, but hung in there. Unsure of how far I was really going today, want to do at least 13, maybe 15, which would require a turnaround before the Byberry Rd end, kept chatting, went to the end. lol..  The last mi or so, my friend picked it up (at least It felt like he did), and I tried a bit to keep up.  Pacing: planned on 9 ish, 8:39 overall.

Full pics on Facebook

Saturday: 11 miles. (two double digit trail days in a row!) Friday. iced bath and iced my ankle/shin, hydrated, stretched. Eventually offset hydration with beverages. :) In bed a few min late, 9:30. Alarm set, but up before that. Stairs were an issue to say the least! Shin/ankle were tight! Coffee, stretch, taking my time, over at my trail by 6:15. Stepping out the door, the weather was fantastic! 60's and no humidity! 6:15 is a few minutes later than normal for me, but no plans later, don't have to adhere to much of a schedule today, kinda winging it. Since I was a few minutes late, coincidentally a couple of my friends that usually start later showed up early, agreed to run with them, it will be a more relaxed pace and looking forward to that.  My trail Pennypack Creek. Did the more open/gradual incline side to Rockledge Park first. To start, the first quarter mi was a bit painful, not sure if I will even do the 5.5 mi. Still leading the pace though, 9:50 ish. Started to feel a bit better as we warmed up. On the way back to the parking lot, decided that I felt good enough to keep going. Fueled and hydrated as we passed our cars at 5.5 mi. Off to the more wooded side to ByBerry Rd, continued to feel better. Our older friend tore off from the group at the ByBerry turnaround. I told my other friend that I most likely wasn't going to pick up the pace on the way back (as I know he would want to since our slower friend dropped off). Well, that was a lie. Progressively picked it up, splitting, and for the last mi pushed it a bit. Last mi was the strongest (sub 8). Overall pacing dropped from 9:50 to 9:17. Warming up helps?  Passed 50 miles for the week, at 52, may cut back tomorrow.

Full pics on Facebook

Sunday: 5 miles. So much for that rest day. I did "sleep in", so there's that. Was going to do an easy 5k, then thought to myself since I have time, might as well go to the trail to avoid my hills, then I figured I might as well do 5 since either section of the trail is just over 5. lol.. Got to my trail much later than usual, after 8:30, parking lot was full, had to wait a minute. My trail . Doing the more wooded side to ByBerry Rd. Shaded, slightly more comfortable, there is a small hill at the end, but overall more comfortable than the either side to Rockledge. Had the shin/ankle pain early. Stretched at home and again before taking off. A bit stiff to start. Hanging in a comfortable pace for the first half. Felt decent, tried pushing it a bit on the way back, not overwhelmingly fast, but neg split mi 4 and 5. 

Noticed a friend's car in the parking lot, always good catching up with my buddy T. Check him out on IG/Twitter: @tlaws6

Full pics on Facebook

Weekly Summary:

Miles:  57.5 (possibly a weekly high, briefly thought about 60, but held back) 

#GVRAT1000k: 5.2 mi/day avg needed to complete. Current avg: 7.27 (05/01-current)  
Strength Training: Goal 120 minutes. 128 minutes completed. (did'nt work out on Friday, I'm such a slacker! lol... 
What type of strength training do I do? Core: crunches, planks, leg raises. Weights: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest. 
Training Plan: 

Week 3 of 20 until Chicago, loosely following the below, will adhere a bit closer in a few weeks. 

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