Now that Base training is over i am adding some changes to the program to increase intensity and improve recovery. My Long runs will be between 18 and 24 miles throughout. I will incorporate an easy day of indoor cycling instead of running. I'm continuing to swim one night a week which I will try to plan for my so-called "off day". Weight training for strength, stability and some power will remain for 2-3 hours per week. To improve on speed I will incorporate one of two workouts. Tempo runs of mid length (10-12 miles total) where 6-10 miles of the run are at or just below MP 7:56.
Intervals on a mid length run (8-11 miles total) where I warm up 1-2 miles and then complete repeats of 100 meters and 200 meters. After the intervals I will finish the rest of the run at or just below MP 7:56.
Monday- I'm starting my week out well. I'm organized and have been on the Isagenix cleanse program for a week now so my energy is good. Feel pretty rested too. Between clients in my basement I worked on shoulders, back and chest. Fairly light weights, free weights and cables, working in tri sets. Exhausted my shoulders, back was light and chest was moderate. Had a shake as well and some stretching. After clients i prepared for my 12 mile tempo run. It's brisk but not very windy. New program for this week which includes one day at moderate length with the middle miles at Marathon Pace. I took the first three miles real easy over the brooklyn bridge to the west side. Once I hit the flat hudson river park I picked up my pace and planned for a 7:55mm for 6 miles. I didn't expect to hit that pace, simply wanted to get my HR into threshold and hold it for the 6 miles. Holding my HR above 171bpm was not a problem, but my legs were a bit slow. After 3 miles I needed a gel, so walked 2 minutes and turned around. Was able to pick up my pace by about 10 sec per mile for the last 3 miles. Once i hit Chambers I stopped the set, slowed down, took the hills back home easy for the last 3 miles. The MP set of 6 miles was Av HR 174 and Av pace 8:16. Not bad for my first tempo run in months, but expect to improve with distance and pace on my next one, probably in 2 weeks.
Tuesday. I had a bit of time today between clients so will run and weight train a bit. The run is an easy 6 mile recovery run. I didn't need to carry water and wore less clothing today and that felt really good. Enjoyed the freedom of movement. Was a nice flat run from John street around battery park and up the hudson river park a bit. Felt easy, although I found myself running a bit fast at times, so slowed it down. Average pace, not including .5 mile warm up was 9:05 and AV HR 164. After the run I had my first meal of the day and did 30 minutes of leg training. BB deadlift, BB squat, Leg extensions, and cable rotation with lateral lunge. Reps 10-15. sets 3-4. l like doing weights right after a run.
Wednesday. I have been so good this week about stretching and fitting in yoga and i can feel the difference. After my morning clients I had a shake and then went out for a run in prospect park. Ran up side streets for some variety and warmed up for one mile. I just want to run an easy 9:20 pace average and have an average hr below 160. During my run I thought about a lot of work tasks and not so much about the run which was nice. Turned around at 4.5 mile mark and returned home again through park slope side streets. Average pace was 9:16 and AV Hr 158 for the 6 mile set. I jogged easy for the last mile and did some yoga after my shower. Didn't have any gels during the run, just a little want more energy in my water pack.
Thursday- I really wanted to weight train again today bu had absolutely no time and its my day off from running. Only plan is to go to the pool and swim with my tri team. I ate just before I left and felt really good and energized getting into the pool, which is rare for me for an evening training session. We had a thorough warm up followed by drills. Then we did work sets of 200 and 100 yards set at threshold pace. Don't really know my threshold pace, but will be testing that in two weeks. Today my best 200 was just under 4 min which is pretty good for me. Les wants me to work on the finish of my stroke. I tend to have good pull all the way past my hip, but need to work on exiting the water with my elbow, not my hand. We also worked on back stroke a bit. Nice 1 1/2 hour workout. Next morning noticed my left shoulder was sore. Don't know if it was the stress of swimming, not enough weight training this week or what, but i'm disappointed that it is bothering me.
Friday- today was a light day for clients and I had hoped to do some weight training but other things got in the way of that. Have not done weights since Tuesday and that's not good. I set up my indoor trainer and decided I was recovered enough since I didn't run yesterday to do and interval set. The set was only a little over 30 minutes but was done on the large ring at a slow cadence. I warmed up for 15 minutes and then did 4 sets of 5 min low cadencee (about 55-65rpm) with goal to be just below my race HR (sub-threshold), followed by 4 min at a higher cadence recovery of about 10-15 beats perm minute slower than the work set. So not full recovery. The sets were an average of 153-155bpm (low end of my range) and recovery was betw 141-144bpm. Felt good, not easy but could have done another set but don't want to push it considering my 20 mile run for tomorrow.
Saturday- Woke up feeling really good. Rested, but a little tight in my back. Had a shake about 1/2 hour before heading out to prospect park for 20 mile run. Warmed up the first mile and feeling really good. The sun is out and I'm over dressed. Ended up taking my fleece off and just wore a long sleeve shirt. Took the park loop counter clockwise for 10 miles and then turned around. My pace was really fast for along run, just felt really good and my HR was averaging 157 so I kept a faster pace than the planned 9:48. I'm using a new gel today (honey stinger) and had one at 5,10,15 miles. Walked only to take the gels and had a bathroom stop, otherwise kept a pretty consistent effort throughout. Took the hills harder than I normally would for a long run, got HR up to 170 or higher on numerous occasions. Even with this my legs did not feel fatigued and energy was really good. By the end of the run I felt like i had only run about 14-16 miles, not 20 which is a really good sign. Think i'm really recovered because Friday i rode my bike instead of running, and Thursday was off day from running but did swim, so I had 2 days of no running before this long 20 miler. Will keep this in mind as i move forward with my training schedule. Main set of 18 mile was 9:11 pace (about 45 sec faster per mile than planned) and HR 156, WOOHOO.
Sunday. Started my day with a hot blend of ionix and cleanse for life and then went for my easy 6 mile run. Warmed up 1 mile to the brooklyn bridge and feeling pretty good. Did my Brookly bridge to city hall route at 8:52 pace (goal was 9:00) and ave HR of 158. That was a good HR average considering I took the hills pretty hard getting up to HR 174bpm. I'm happy with all of that. Good way to finish off the weeks training. About 2 hours following my run I went to my basement gym and did legs and shoulders strength workout. I did supersets for legs and shoulder for 35 minutes. progressed with either weight or reps for each set. Shoulder feels about 85%. It was a good program so made note to use with clients. Finished with 10 min abs on the bosu and stretching.
Totals for the Week: 12 hrs 18 minutes. Bike: 1hr, Swim 1:30, Weight train 1:40, Run 8:08 for 53 miles. Aside from my Race Pace run on monday I was really happy with my training for the week.