Weekly Running Report: June 7, 2020

Hi Everyone! 

Hope you are all doing well!

How's training going? Doing any virtual challenges, how'd they go? Adapting to summer weather?

I'm currently doing the Great Virtual Race Across Tennessee, which has been great motivation for me. Felt the added miles towards the end of May. Feeling a little bit overtrained with shin splints and tightness in the hammies. Adjusting to summer humidity/temps, but getting through. Might start cutting back a couple days if needed, we'll see.. 

Week 2 of 20 until Chicago Marathon. 

My Week in Training:

Monday: 7 miles before work. Sunday rest day, did an ice bath, hydrated well, relaxed, stretched and foam rolled. Did have a beverage or two, but well behaved. In bed on time, up a couple times, but an excellent night's rest. Up a few minutes early, coffee and work out. Temps went down yesterday, windows open, brisk this morning! Let more fresh air in for my workout. Felt nice! Stretch my shins and back, and out the door by 6. Wide awake, well energized, but my right shin/hammy, and overall soreness from my long run and recent extra miles. Hurt a bit at first, but got better as it warmed up. Pacing 8:10/8:20 before/after my midway hill.  My midway hill.. has at least six religious buildings, I do my best not to cuss at my hill. lol.. Legs tired/heavy, but moving along. Hung in there to maintain 8:30. 

Tuesday: 5 miles before work. (scheduled non-running day). Monday, ice bath, stretch, foam roll, somewhat decent rest. Up before my alarm, but tired! Coffee and workout, stretch my shins/hammy/lower back, and out the door by 6. Slightly better yesterday, less wincing at the start. Decent until the hills, but hills are good for you, right?

Wednesday: 7 miles before work. Forgot to make any notes, dont remember, but..Global Running Day! Got my scheduled miles in. Although Strava says I fell short by .04! Lost distance in the conversion, booo.. My OCD is ok with going over round numbers, but not with falling short. lol... 

Thursday: 5 miles before work. (scheduled non-running day). Wednesday, a little drama and a poor night's rest. Wed, had an extreme (but brief) storm  in the area. Lost power. Some debris, but not bad (for us). ETA on power was 24 hours, but came back on just before bed (out about 9 hours). Anxiousness, wasn't ready for bed, and up several times over night. Groggy. Coffee, workout slowly, but got my sets in. Out the door by 6:05. Humid, tired, sore. Failed to stretch (shin/hammy) or foam roll last night. Through the motions. Pacing started sub 8, but settled in around 8:10ish until the hills. Next block over, discovered the rest of my neighborhood was out of power. The small section to the left of me was good, large section to the right, out. Road closed midway a few blocks over (pic below), about .3 to make up elsewhere. Felt the hills, humidity, faded in the second half. 

Friday: 5 miles before work. Thu, hydrated well, foam rolled/stretched, but offset hydration slightly with Thirsty Thurs drinks. Behaved, good night's rest, but still tired when that alarm hit. Coffee, workout slowly, sets done, but almost a few min late out the door. (TMI, also rethinking that hoagie I had for dinner last night, lol.. ) Stretch and out the door by 6:05. Another humid day. Still sore (shins/hammy/overall). Slow from the start. Pacing 8:30 before my midway hill. 8:36 after. Tried bringing it back down to 8:30, but a bit of the struggle bus today. Even thought about skipping my later hills. Did them, but wasn't fun. 

Sidenotes: 

On Wed, I lost electricity for 9 hours. This morning I found out that the next 5 blocks from me are still out. Thankful for electricity (and air conditioning!)

Rest: Should be ok for my long run pace tomorrow, but thinking about getting rest next week, we'll see. (Tue/Thu/Sun are supposed to be non running days?)

Saturday: 14 miles. Long run day, trail day, yay! Friday, carb loaded, hydrated, foam rolled/stretched, but in bed about 30 minutes late. (9:30). Ok night's rest, up multiple times, and up before my alarm. Coffee, stretch my back and shins, and at my trail around 6. Weather forecast, 72 at 6 am and going up each hr. Step out the door, of course it's humid as well..Soupy! On the way to my trail, hit a detour. The storms earlier in the week may have affect the road near the creak. On pace to be a few min early, but ended up being right on time. My trail Pennypack Creek. Park in the middle, Welsh and Terwood Rd. Did the more gradual incline side to Rockledge Park first. Getting started, my shin hurt at the start. Questioned my choice to do a long run, but was fine once warmed up. Pacing 8:45 ish and comfortable. Trail is 11 mi, instead of doing a section mult times, at the Rockledge end, left the trail for 20 minutes. Did the nearby hill and their main street for a few min and back. Back on the trail for a few minutes, bumped into friends, turned around for a few min to Rockledge again. Back to the midway parking lot, fueled and hydrated. Was at 9 mi before going to the other side. (If I only went to Rockledge, back to parking lot would be 5.5, gained 3.5 by going off trail and turning around with my friends). To the more wooded side towards ByBerry Rd and back. Pacing fading to 9 ish, tired, but somewhat comfortable. My shin seems to somewhat ok for a relaxed pace but hurts more during the week when pushing it a bit harder.

Sidenotes: multiple trees down along the trail from storms earlier in the week. The park ranger's crew did an excellent job cleaning up! Definitely appreciate them!

Miscellaneous cardio: 3+ hours of yard work. Clearing garden beds and mulch.Back hurts and it was still warm out... 

Full pics on Facebook

Sunday: 5 miles? Saturday, after yard work, did an ice bath, hydrated like heck. Failed to foam roll or stretch. Eventually offset hydration with drinks. Tired, in bed early. Woke up early, sore! Tried sleeping in, didn't make it that late. Coffee and really taking my time heading out. Out the door after 9. Perfect weather! Finally a break in the heat and humidity! Planned on taking a erst day, a comfortable 5k. Too nice out, went out for 5. Tired, right leg feels like someone punched it, but pacing felt fine. Crazy how one day a pace can be tiring and another day can be just fine. Couldn't be the weather, could it? lol.. 

Will be taking it easy remainder of the day, try to get some rest to do it all over again tomorrow. 

Weekly Summary:

Miles:   49.3

#GVRAT1000k: 5.2 mi/day avg needed to complete. Current avg:  7.1 (05/01-current)  
Strength Training: Goal 120 minutes. 165 minutes completed. 
What type of strength training do I do? Core: crunches, planks, leg raises. Weights: biceps, triceps, shoulders, chest. 
Training Plan: 

Week 2 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