Mental as Anything

Similar to last week, the training this week had more to do with keeping my mind in check.
The start to the week was sluggish, ie I had so much going on in my head workwise that running was simply not a priority.
By Wednesday, this excruciating trial was over and with that the stress levels had dropped. From there on I managed to get some decent endurance/hill training done and intervals the next day.
Then a day's worth of rest and a whole blood donation.
On Friday I was really looking forward to a long run but it was really tough. What I forgot as I was slugging it out on Saturday morning was that I was missing a pint of blood, so no wonder I had to pump that little bit more. Anyway, I am now taking a break from apheresis and whole blood donations and will go back to that no later than after the Perth Marathon.
I did 38k at a pace of 5:43 with the heart rate just nudging level 2. That is actually considerably better than the figures for the 32k run four weeks ago.

I suppose I should be happy. And in reality I am. Although I will never be fast, the consistent tempo and interval training is now paying off. Whilst I may not crack 3:30 at Canberra, for Perth it should be possible.

Apart from a tweak now and then, the knee is as new.

Total distance this week was 67.5. Earlier in the year I thought I would get up to about 80ks a week, but I think I'll give this a miss and rather add a bit of time on the bike so as to take the strain off the joints.

Now, where did I leave these entry forms for Canberra?

Powered by ScribeFire.

Going topsy-turvy

I went skydiving today and managed to nearly spin out when the JM let go. And in many other respects the week was topsy-turvy, too.
Had a strong start to the week with hill repeats on Reabold Hill on Monday, did some gymwork on Tuesday and got caught up with work too much to get out on Wednesday. Intervals on Thursday which were a bit all over the place as I had programmed the Forerunner incorrectly, d'oh.
Saturday long run turned out quite ok. 35k at 5:22/k. After 7ks I thought about giving it all away, my legs just wanted to curl up and go to sleep in a ditch. Good thing the brain told them to keep running.
The knees are doing just fine, the left one is perfect and the right one just gives me the occasional niggle.

Powered by ScribeFire.

Waking up to petrichord

Isn't it just great, this smell of summer rain on the warm ground?

Just too sweet to get up and do a heavy interval session. Ok, I'm a wuss and reading Clown's blog I can say at least I'm not alone.

I had planned to have an easy week and it turned out to be even easier than anticipated. I needed a bit of a break both mentally and physically, so only a level 2 run with 2x Reabold Hill on Monday and a MP run of 22.54k yesterday morning, a total, wait for it: 35.55k. Now that's slack.

Having said that, I felt sluggish after the last three weeks but by yesterday I was very happy with the MP run yesterday at just over 5m/k. Nowhere near the young guns, but for now clearly a good point to be.

Although I did not run much, I did three sessions in the gym concentrating on core strength and just a bit of stability exercises for the knees.

I now have to work out next week's program which is going to be tough especially since I'm going to be in Court all week and have my head full of jet engines, boat hull designs, fishtails, spins and emergency stops. And plenty of cavitation - in my head as well.
Taking a positive angle to it a bit of running won't go astray it seems.

Not sure whether I'll do Matilda Bay - just does not fit my program - unless the case finishes before Friday and I can do the long run on Friday and then... I think I'm getting ahead of myself.

First, I'll have a good night's sleep.

Powered by ScribeFire.

I need an easy week

The last three weeks have been busy and interesting.

Running wise I managed to do three weeks of intensity training - just!
Today's long run was tough as my legs were dead. Didn't even feel my knees on the whole 33ks which I suppose is a good thing.
The truth is that yesterday's speed session together with a short night just did not allow me to recover. By now I should know that I need a day's rest before and after a long run.

As a result, this run was all about toughening it out mentally. The head was there, the heart was pumping but the legs went awol. So I found myself pushing myself with the heart rate being just barely going to 60%max, really strange. I think I hit 70% three times during the entire run.

Even if from the physical perspective that run was not quite right, certainly mentally the run was beneficial.
But I am really looking forward to an easy week.

I did have a bit of a rough spot (mentally) in the middle week, which explains a slightly lower mileage:
Week of 14 January: 65.28k - 6 hrs 22 mins
Week of 21 January: 56.88k - 5 hrs 46 mins
Week of 28 January: 65.05k - 6 hrs 41 mins

Pretty sad figures compared with the impressive stats of the young guns, Epi and Clown, but I am just happy that my knees are still attached.

Oh, did I mention that I have been distracted by yet another project (that's the Gemini in me) - getting my skydiving A licence. That means that I spend a fair amount of time out at York, predominantly sitting and waiting for the wind to die down... not very attractive running country out there :-((!

Powered by ScribeFire.