Weekly Running Report: September 6, 2020

Hi Everyone!

Hope you are all well!

How are you spending your Labor Day weekend? Getting some extra miles in? Relaxing/recharging?Any recent races or coming up (virtual or IRL)? Any other outdoor adventures?

This was week 16 of 20 'till the Valley Forge Marathon for me. Included a rough day all around (Wed), but remainder of the week felt pretty good. Trying not to jinx myself, but this shin splint may soon be over. :) Although 3 of 4 days were on flatter surfaces. Should hold that comment until we get through more hills unscathed. lol.. 

My Week in Training: 

Monday: 7 miles. Day off from work, trail day, yay! Sunday, focused on recovery. Epsom, TENS gadget, compression, foam roll, etc. Did have a few drinks and stayed up past my bed time since I had today off, but was sure to drink extra water as well. "Slept in" a few minutes past 6. Coffee and taking my time. Workout done with a couple extra sets since I had time. Over to my trail by 8:30. My trail Pennypack Creek. Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood. Today I will be doing the more shaded/wooded side to ByBerry Rd and back (5.5). Weather was great! At least nicer than recent anyway. Lower temps/humidity. Still sore from my 20, but feeling ok. Goal a comfortable 8:45. That was the plan. Well, starting out, everything felt pretty good once I got going. First mi was around 8. Bumped into my speedy friend that I haven't even tried to run with for a while, turned around and did a little under a mi with them. (8-8:10 ish) They were still able to talk at that pace, lol, not me. .. I turned around as we approached the midway intersectin. In rhythm, didn't want to stop for light or traffic, and I prefer this side. Moving along. Although I did feel some stiffness in my shin, and some quad fatigue pain. Incline/small hill, 8:20's by the ByBerry Rd end turnaround. Goal changed to 8:30 early and pretty excited that I was able to make that. Fastest 7 mi in a month. Progress. Although it is worth noting that my neighborhood 7 miler is 500 ft ascent, this was only 100. This side of the trail is 5.3 ish, the couple turnarounds to run a few minutes with my friend was almost perfectly timed, only ran in a circle for .2 to cap it at 7. lol..  

Full pics on Facebook

Tuesday: 1 mile. Strength training day, plus one for the streak. Decent rest, but up a couple times and before my alarm. Achy to start. Coffee, workout (extra sets all around), ... including 1000 crunches! First time doing that many in a million years. Been doing a few extra sets here and there, once I got to 6-700, was wondering if I could do it. Done. Last few were rough, we'll see how often I try that..  Stretch, and out the door by 6:15. Worked on breathing before taking off. A decent start, but tougher than expected. 7:40. Picked it up a bit. But shin felt a bit stiff and quads really felt it. Think I forgot that I did a 20 miler somewhat recently. lol..  done under 7:30, but it wasn't an easy one for me.

Wednesday: 7 mi. Decent rest, of course up early. Coffee, workout, and feeling decent. Out the door by 6. Ready to do this! Or so I thought. Goal: 8:45. Usually my Wed goal is to beat my Monday. But Monday was under different conditions.. Today was 97%/71 humidity/dew point! Who knew that Pa is so swampy?! lol.. rough summer humidity wise. Anyway, ready to give this a whirl.. Doing alright to start, first couple were 8:15 ish.. But the inclines and humidity started to get me.. Inclines adding up before my worst hill, paced faded to high 8:30's by the top of the hill. Before mi 4 had serious doubts about 8:45. no splitting after that. barely hanging on.. It started to rain briefly, face was already burning up too much to really enjoy. Don't think it cooled me off at all. Took my glasses off, got dizzy for a second, fun times. By mi 5, was ready to just get it over with. Drained, but still trying to at least keep it a shade under 9. My shin hurt briefly earlier, mostly when I was trying to push it down a notch, non issue remainder. Issues breathing with the humidity, and noticed air quality wasn't exactly good for allergies.. lol.. Definitely a different experience than Monday. but done.. 

Thursday: 1 mile. Strength Training day, plus one for the streak. Decent rest, but per usual up several times and again before my alarm. Up and ready to go. Coffee, workout (extra sets all around, 51 minutes today), stretch, and out the door shortly after 6:15. Already planning on pushing it today. Up my short/steep hill, felt it in my quads, but rolling right along. Pace slightly slower at the first couple minute pace alerts, picked it up and going. One thing I noticed very early, I was more naturally launching/leading with my dominant leg (that has had the shin splint). Midway, I did feel some stiffness in the shin, but non-issue. Quads felt the hill at .6 and incline before the end. Pace went from 7:30's to 7:00's to 7:teens. Shin did throb slightly after, but not as much as previous weeks. Progress. 

Friday: 5 miles. Day off from work, trail day, yay! Thu, participated in Thirsty Thu, hydrated well beforehand, could of done a better job of hydrating along. Even with the day off and no major plans, didn't stay up too late. Alarm set to my normal time, at some point overnight decided to try to get another hour of rest. Up a couple times and then up by 6. Coffee, workout (a few extra sets since I had time), hydrate, stretch. Eventually over to my trail by 8:30. My trail Pennypack Creek. Doing the more wooded side to ByBerry Rd and back (again, same as Mon). Temps ok, some humidity (low 90's). Feeling pretty decent, goal 8:30. Progress from the start with naturally leading/launching from my dominant leg. First couple pace alerts way too fast. First alert started with a 6! Eventually settled in around 8. Figured I'd pull back again to 8:15, but ended up rolling with it. Focus on breathing/foot strike, etc. Incline then hill before my turnaround at ByBerry Rd, pace around 8:12. Alright, new goal, 8:15. Can usually split a little on the way back, but was pretty much in maintain mode. Hung in there to 8:16, faded 1 second just before the end, grrr! lol..  Did feel my shin a bit during and after, but getting better. 

Full pics on Facebook

Saturday: 10 miles. Long run day, trail day (again! :) ) , yay! Fri, carb load, relax, in bed by 9:30. Up before my alarm, thank goodness, actually forgot to set my alarm! When I disabled it yesterday, it disabled the M-Sat week setting.. lol.. Coffee, stretch, and over to my trail by 6:15. A few minutes late today! Stomach needed a few extra minutes to feel safe. My trail . Park in the middle. Today I will be doing the more open/gradual incline side to Rockledge Park and back first. (get the tougher section done first) Goal 8:30-8:45. Felt good from the start! 8-8:10 to the Rockledge end. Passed a couple friends that were on their way back (opposite direction), they ragged on me for the late start time. lol.. Maybe 1 mi ahead of me, trying to catch them on the way back. Usually try to split back from Rockledge on the decline, but at this pace, pretty much in maintain mode. Fueled at 5 mi, hydrate at my car at 5.5 mi. Off to the more wooded side ByBerry Rd. Pacing 8:13. Somewhat confident at this point I can keep it under 8:30, but some anxiety about something going wrong either shin or fatigue, but moving right along. 8:20 at ByBerry Rd turnaround with 2 mi to go. Bumped into my friend again with about 1.5 to go, we kept each other going till the end. 8:21 overall, my best 10 miler in three months! Post run caught up with three of my friends that we passed along the way. Great catching up. Run felt good throughout. Noticed my shin once or twice, but didn't hold me back at all. Weather was fantastic to start, mid 60's. Some humidity, but temps refreshing enough that it didn't matter.      

Full pics on Facebook

Sunday: 1 mile. Rest day, one for the streak. Run Streak Day 1688. Saturday, did an ice bath and hydrated well. Eventually offset hydration a bit with beverages. but feeling alright this morning. Coffee and taking my time. Stretch and out the door by 8. A little tired, feel yesterday's run a bit, but not that bad. Going to give it a whirl. Focus on breathing and foot strike. A bit winded at the first short/steep hill, but in rhythm. First pace alert slightly slower than expected, but continuing to push. Pace came down to 6:58-7:05 and back down to 6:58 just before my hill. Faded up the hill and again in the slight incline before the end. Better than expected for day after my "long" run, but felt I could of had to closer to 7 at the end. Felt my shin slightly, but not bad and quad fatigue through the hill. Sunday Funday, will try to focus on recovery, day off tomorrow, will try to keep hydration in mind as I may partake in beverages. ;)

Weekly Summary:

Miles:  29 miles scheduled, 32 miles completed 

Strength Training: Goal 150 minutes. 230 minutes completed! Put in extra time on my days off from work!  :)

What type of strength training do I do? Core: crunches, planks, leg raises. Weights: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest. 

Hydration Goal: met 6 days

Foam Roll: 5 days 

Training Plan: Week 16 of 20 until the Valley Forge Marathon using the below plan 

Image from Coach Jenny Hadfield

Race Schedule: 

10.04.2020 - Valley Forge Marathon

Good luck to everyone with training! Kick some butt! 

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