The week started out pretty lousy training wise. After the holidays, being away for 12 days, arriving home and running a rough 18 miler in the wind, I felt a bit wasted starting out the week. As I got my nutrition plan organized and started a new 30 day cleanse, I felt a lot better by Wednesday. I was able to get to the pool one day, got on my trainer instead of running on Friday, and finally had a renewed energy for weight training and put in 4 days of weight training. Monday was another really cold day but not terribly windy. I had difficulty getting out for this run, feeling pretty tired from yesterday's 18 miler but felt confident the run would go well if I stuck to a consistent 9:20 pace for the 12 miles. Was running in prospect park and took all hills easy. It wasn't a bad run, but definitely need a recovery day tomorrow. I ran the main set of 10 miles at 9:23 pace and HR 157bpm. This was a bit slower than the same run last week in Chicago, but I just ran 30 miles in just over 24 hours, so it's all good.
Monday afternoon I felt like a light weight training session in the basement. Circuit of trx, light shoulder work and tri and bicep. Total body but very light. Finished with TRX abs.
Tuesday was no running but I did some weight training. 35 min of weights and 15 min of abs and low back. Heavy 8-10 reps legs, back, shoulders. No pool tonight, not feeling up to it.
Wednesday I did another 12 miles, but with some intervals. I ran over the brooklyn bridge and up the west side. Warmed up for 3 miles then did 1 mi hard and 4 in easy fartlek intervals. Was running a bit slower than the same workout last week. My legs feel heavy, maybe from the weights yesterday, but I feel it's more due to the fact tha I ate like crap last week and I've cut down on calories a bit this week. Maybe mentally I'm also saving some energy for the 22 miler run this weekend. For the 7 miles of fartlek, 5 miles was flat and 2 miles were up hill, I averaged HR at 159 and pace 9:25. Most of the 1 minute tempo portions were between 7:30 and 8mm, again slower than last week in Chicago. I finished with 2 miles of cool down. Will not do any other work today except abs and yoga.
Thursday morning I had two ounces of cleanse and then had a client. When finished I went for an easy 6 mile run (around 8:30) across chambers street and up the west side. It's warmer today and less windy, but i was running into the wind about 2.5 miles of the run. My Garmin did not pick up satellite right away, and had problems with it not pausing when I had stopped so data isn't terribly accurate. Was supposed to be 9:00 pace and HR about 161. Feel recovered today and my energy is better than it has been for the last two days. Seems to help if i don't eat before a short run. I think I ran a bit further than 6 miles and av pace was pretty much on target at 9:00 HR ave 159bpm.
After the run and a quick shower I had my shake pudding for breakfast with a banana then got in a quick 30 min weight training session. Did stabilization work, cables for back and a leg back combo. Single leg press. Rocker board squats + DB OHP. Back extensions with bd shoulder flexion. Would say put in moderate effort. Leg work seemed the hardest although none of it was with much load. Rep range 10-15. Did abs and yoga later at home and went to the Roosevelt pool in the evening with my tri team.
I have not swam in about 4 weeks and am glad I had the time to finally go to the pool. Big group today. 6x50yard warm up and then ladders 50-100-150-100-50 with 20 sec rest. Then 100-200-300-200-100 with 20-30sec rest. Felt pretty good. Worked on keeping my hand higher in the water during the hold as per Claudia's recommendation. Need to do lat stretches before swimming from now on. Shoulder felt fine during and after workout. Note once home took about 1.5 hours to relax and go to bed. Was lucky to not have a 5:30 am client tomorrow.
Friday I thought about today's planned 6 mile run last night coming home from the pool and decided my body is feeling like it needs more cross traiing. So I opted out on the run and got on the indoor trainer for 40 minutes. Also did weights today right before so didn't need a warm up. Took it pretty easy and adjusted cadence to my music. Average cadence was 75 and ave HR was 144. Also did yoga earlier today for 20 minutes.
Saturday's forecast was for low temps and brutal wind but it really wasn't that bad. It's about 20 degrees out and the wind was reasonable so i went over the Brooklyn bridge and ran up the Hudson river park for my 22 miler. Longest run so far and it felt really good, surprisingly good. Think i made the right choice getting on my bike yesterday. Stopped for bathroom and a gel around 6 mile, continued at an easy HR of 155bpm and pace 9:24 along the river. Once I hit the upper west side I diverted to the sidewalk along Riverside drive for a change of scenery. There the terrain changed with cobble stone sidewalks and some rolling hills. Stopoped at 11 mile mark, almost all the way to Riverbank park, and had another gel. On the return the wind was at my back for the most part, so although my pace should have been around 9:40 for this long run, i decided as long as my HR was well below 160 I would modify my pace and see how it felt to run a little faster. On the return I ran 9:13 pace (about 10sec faster than on the way out) and kept my HR the same av at 155. There is a bit more climbing on the way back, so was really happy to see that my energy was good (not great) and could pick up the pace and hold an easy HR. Will try to do some AB work and Yoga a bit later today. Did stretch out for about 15 minutes. body does not feel as tight as it did after last weeks long run.
Sunday I stuck around the house and did all my training in the basement. Feel remarkable considering I ran 22 miles yesterday. Went to basement and did two sets of 3 miles on the treadmill with weights and core work in between the running sets. HR stayed really low at 154 average and pace was pretty fast at 8:38mm. Did not include the warm ups and cool downs in the data. Weight training was light. Abs, low back, shoulder ext rotation and easy lower body workout focusing on stability and abductors. Bosu lunges with rotation and Sa KB OH Squat.
I've put together my next 10 weeks of training. Base is over and now will focus on tempo training, speed workouts at the track, and maintaining my long runs o 18-24 miles on weekends. At this point, I feel my 3:30 goal is well within reach.