After five weeks of marathon training I can already see and feel the differences in my body. I'm maintaining a weight of 150lbs or so but loosing fat I didn't realize I had. I may need to step up the volume of the food I'm consuming or by March I'll look like skin, bones, and lungs. The other not so apparent change includes increased flexibility. This can probably be associated with my increased regiment of speed work with special attention to stretching in an effort to remain injury free.
Total volumes for Week 5 were slightly below the plan due the gradually building fatigue I've been suffering. My sleeping habits haven't been the best to say the least (attributed again to neighbor's relentless barking dog). Saturday night I slept a solid 11 hours and needed every second of it. Regardless, I was able to muster up enough energy to swim 6000 yards and run 33.5 miles in 7 hours this past week.
Week 5 also included a personal best for me. My long run of 14 miles was .9 miles longer than I have ever continuously ran before. Additionally I was able to maintain my target 9:30/mile long-run pace without much difficulty. This gave me a huge mental boost given last weeks 13 miles of hell.
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Week 4 Recap
When I run long distances sometimes it seems as if I can feel the many microscopic muscle fibers in my legs tearing with each step. Maybe I'm just odd but the thought is pleasing to me. Sure the whole process is exhausting and somewhat painful but I remind myself this is what I want, this is what I came here all decked out in running attire for, this is why I will succeed. To quote Nike, "Just do it."
Sunday's 13 mile run was nothing short of a physically and mentally draining day. What started in the morning with a headache progressed into an upset stomach by mid-afternoon. My tight and tired body from the soccer game the day before didn't feel like cooperating at all. However my mind rules so I dragged my sick body to the trail for battle, and a battle it was. Once my legs woke up the run was no longer and issue of energy but an issue of where and when I'd have to share my lunch with the wildlife. After eight miles I thought it was over. I took ten seconds to breathe deep and relax, hoping this would fight off my stomach. The instant relief of walking instead of running also enticed me further to the dark side. I vehemently resisted the urges to quit and forged on. To my amazement I was able to finish without incident in a shade over two hours. I spent the rest of the evening with body aches and in a continual search for more layers and blankets to wear.
The earlier part of Week 4 was all roses for the most part. I found a decent 1/2 mile hill to run on speed days and did so in adequate times. I'm also beginning to remember how long my stride was ten years ago. Hill workouts really do help in that department. It seems like I can feel a difference in my running abilities each time I do a good speed session.
The totals for Week 4 are: 31.5 miles of running and 4800 yards of swimming in just over 7 hours. I'm pleased with the running efforts I putting out there, especially since this time I hit my mileage right-on with the plan. My swimming has been troubling due to a sore rotator cuff. I've purposely been keeping the workouts short and easy until I'm 100%. And then there is my biking or lack of it... That's another blog entry though.
Sunday's 13 mile run was nothing short of a physically and mentally draining day. What started in the morning with a headache progressed into an upset stomach by mid-afternoon. My tight and tired body from the soccer game the day before didn't feel like cooperating at all. However my mind rules so I dragged my sick body to the trail for battle, and a battle it was. Once my legs woke up the run was no longer and issue of energy but an issue of where and when I'd have to share my lunch with the wildlife. After eight miles I thought it was over. I took ten seconds to breathe deep and relax, hoping this would fight off my stomach. The instant relief of walking instead of running also enticed me further to the dark side. I vehemently resisted the urges to quit and forged on. To my amazement I was able to finish without incident in a shade over two hours. I spent the rest of the evening with body aches and in a continual search for more layers and blankets to wear.
The earlier part of Week 4 was all roses for the most part. I found a decent 1/2 mile hill to run on speed days and did so in adequate times. I'm also beginning to remember how long my stride was ten years ago. Hill workouts really do help in that department. It seems like I can feel a difference in my running abilities each time I do a good speed session.
The totals for Week 4 are: 31.5 miles of running and 4800 yards of swimming in just over 7 hours. I'm pleased with the running efforts I putting out there, especially since this time I hit my mileage right-on with the plan. My swimming has been troubling due to a sore rotator cuff. I've purposely been keeping the workouts short and easy until I'm 100%. And then there is my biking or lack of it... That's another blog entry though.
Monday, December 3, 2007
Week 3 Recap
Week 3 was considered a stepback in the mileage building process of my marathon plan. I ended up running 19.5 miles and swimming 3500 yards in a little over 6 hours worth of training. A slow week indeed.
On Wednesday I didn't wake early enough to run in the morning so I decided after swimming that evening I'd face my running archenemy, the gym treadmill. With only three easy miles to run I figured it would be an in-and-out battle and then I'd be back at home to eat dinner at a reasonable hour. I wasn't expecting to be painfully cut short. I'm toying with three ideas of why I always hurt while running on a treadmill. Perhaps its a combination of these:
1) I change my stride because there's a display in front of me.
2) I run on a treadmill always after swimming, never the treadmill alone.
3) I do most of my training on soft trails and the extra impact gets to me.
After a mile on the treadmill I cautiously stopped and moved to the elliptical machine due to a dull ache in my shin. I continued for another mile and a half, which was until the ache became painful. The extra "easy" mileage wasn't worth increasing a possible injury. On Thursday I warmed and stretched the area several times without pain but decided to hold off doing anything till Saturday's soccer game.
On two days rest I was a soccer machine, only my legs weren't made of metal and the opponents' cleats didn't exactly bounce off the area left unprotected by shin guards. The spot outside and just above both ankles are now bruised from the hacks in my league. Nothing serious though. We won the game 4-0 for anyone who's wondering.
Sunday's long run definitely took strong will. Had it not been only eight miles I might have sat at home and called it a lazy day for recuperating from soccer. But after a good warm-up and stretch I was awake and ready to go. There was some residual pain from the bruised ankles but none from Wednesday's shin/treadmill episode. Luckily the pain I did have didn't alter my stride so I ran well. Afterwards I got a feeling of tremendous accomplishment. That familiar feeling to which I can only respond with, "I'm glad I did this."
On Wednesday I didn't wake early enough to run in the morning so I decided after swimming that evening I'd face my running archenemy, the gym treadmill. With only three easy miles to run I figured it would be an in-and-out battle and then I'd be back at home to eat dinner at a reasonable hour. I wasn't expecting to be painfully cut short. I'm toying with three ideas of why I always hurt while running on a treadmill. Perhaps its a combination of these:
1) I change my stride because there's a display in front of me.
2) I run on a treadmill always after swimming, never the treadmill alone.
3) I do most of my training on soft trails and the extra impact gets to me.
After a mile on the treadmill I cautiously stopped and moved to the elliptical machine due to a dull ache in my shin. I continued for another mile and a half, which was until the ache became painful. The extra "easy" mileage wasn't worth increasing a possible injury. On Thursday I warmed and stretched the area several times without pain but decided to hold off doing anything till Saturday's soccer game.
On two days rest I was a soccer machine, only my legs weren't made of metal and the opponents' cleats didn't exactly bounce off the area left unprotected by shin guards. The spot outside and just above both ankles are now bruised from the hacks in my league. Nothing serious though. We won the game 4-0 for anyone who's wondering.
Sunday's long run definitely took strong will. Had it not been only eight miles I might have sat at home and called it a lazy day for recuperating from soccer. But after a good warm-up and stretch I was awake and ready to go. There was some residual pain from the bruised ankles but none from Wednesday's shin/treadmill episode. Luckily the pain I did have didn't alter my stride so I ran well. Afterwards I got a feeling of tremendous accomplishment. That familiar feeling to which I can only respond with, "I'm glad I did this."
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