Week 8 Recap

I considered titling this post as Bringing the Pain because that's what I actually did to myself. Pure punishment was dealt over 8 hours in the form of 7500 yards swimming and 37 miles of running. That's right, no biking this week due to fears that my hamstrings couldn't handle it.

The effects of my first 16 miler were felt way into Week 8. The level of fatigue was compounding with each run. I ended up taking Wednesday and Thursday off as a result. On Friday I dusted off the running shoes and resumed training feeling 80%. Then Saturday's race-paced 7 miler followed by three hours of tackle football did me in. When Sunday afternoon rolled around I forced myself to get out there and run.

Sunday was 43 degrees with a chilling 10 mph wind so it felt more like below freezing. I suited up, stretched good, and started off well. After four miles I began to feel a dull ache coming from both femurs. I thought maybe I was going too fast yet I was right on pace. I tried to ignore it but by mile five I realized there was a problem. I had just dropped a 10:18 mile split. Eww... Since I was now five miles from my car I persuaded myself to try running back. After some light stretching I got back at it. My next two miles felt reasonable and were only :15 off pace. It was at this point I told myself I needed to go the distance. The dull ache eventually faded and I was able to gut out the run without an injury to anything but my iPod. You'll be missed.

Some time ago I asked my buddy Scott if he'd rather do a 70.3 or a marathon. To my surprise at the time he answered the triathlon. After Sunday's 17 mile ordeal I'd have to agree. I can't imagine having to run an additional 9.2 miles.