My week started out a bit slow. Feeling a bit overworked and taking extra vitamin C just to make sure I don't get sick. Feeling my mood, energy, and general lethargic body is partially due to my difficult 24 mile progressive run from Saturday. With that said, I modified the beginning of my weeks training to be really light on running and leg training. MONDAY- I'm still feeling a bit battered. Mostly tired, a little sore, just know I'm not recovered from the 24 mile run on Saturday so am taking it easy today. I also plan on running again this evening with a client, but will be at a real leisurely pace. Today I went over the Brooklyn Bridge and back. Quite a bit of wind but the air temp was nice. Didn't really pay attention to pace or HR, just took the hills easy and picked up the pace a bit on the down side. Average pace was 9:20 and AV hr was 156. Was also planning on doing weights this morning, but I skipped it. Wasn't feeling like doing legs and shoulders as planned.
TUESDAY- Today is pretty high volume but low intensity in all 3 activities. Started with weights in the am. Between clients I had time for breakfast and weight training. I wanted to train legs today, but still a bit sore. Also adapted my running to this as today was supposed to be speed work. At John Street I focused mostly on back, some shoulders (keeping in mind im swimming tonight) and some chest. Back was all strength, 8-10 reps, followed by either shoulder or chest stabilization work. Also did some internal and external shoulder rotation band work. Felt like a good session even though it wasn't well planned. Later today I will do abs and some yoga before going to the pool.
I switched my Tuesday and Thursday run workouts because my legs are not feeling up to a 12 mile run including sprints and tempo work, so will go moderate length of 12 miles at goal pace 9:20. Went from John street to Battery Park and up the west side, so all of it was flat. Warmed up 1 mile easy. There is some wind, but temps are in the low 40s and it feels really warm so I took off my fleece and ran in long sleeve shirt. My HR monitor battery died at mile 6.5 and at that point my average speed was 9:04 and HR 149 (a really low HR for this pace). I know when I turned around to go back, now the wind is against my back, that I picked up the pace 10-20 seconds per mile, but I think I slowed down for the last 3 miles. I'm guessing my average pace was 9:00 and average HR 151. Run felt pretty good, especially my breathing, considering my legs felt tired just standing. Will be sure to stretch well today as well as eat well.
I swam in the evening at Roosevelt pool with the tritons. I'ts a big group today and we are using 4 lanes, so well spread out. Only 2 other people in my lane. Started with a warm up and drills for about 20 minutes. For drills on my side I need to work on my flutter kick and keeping my hand real high in the water. Today's workout was set up as a ladder. Each set to be swum at Moderate Easy pace so that the first 100 and last 100 are at equal speed. 100-200-300-400-300-200-100 yards with rest of 20-25-30-40-30-25-20. I was leading the pace for my lane and felt I was taking it a bit too hard so slowed down a little when we hit the 300s. My stroke rate was really consistent 23-25 per lap. The first 100 and last 100 were at 1:05, so I managed to not fall apart at the end. Felt the rest periods were short, guess that was the point. Talked to Claudia about my goals and she wants me to focus on getting stroke rate to 21-23 by end of April. Good goal. Noticed during cool down that my first lap was only 21, so I know if i relax more and don't use my strength so much and I can succeed in my goal. Good session.
WEDNESDAY- Today is my Off day. I'm glad it's in the middle of the week, i really need it. Unforniutately I do have to run with team in training tonight, but that won't be more than three miles. I did some weight training and abs in the basement between clients. Need to get in a good shoulder workout, and since the swimming is over for the week, today is the day. Did 35 minutes of just shoulders and triceps. Supersets of strength followed by stability. Strength sets were 3x8-10 reps and stability was 3x10-12reps. Everything felt good!. Did one superset for triceps and didn't go very heavy. Finished with abs on the bosu for 10 minutes, exercises I had not done in a while.
THURSDAY- after clients i did weight training followed by a run. Feeling pretty good today, but still not 100%. At john street I did back and chest work. Supersets for strength followed by stability, effort moderate/hard, reps 10-12 for most. Order was back, back, chest, back. Followed with good stretching so I'm not all tight for my run. Did 35 minutes total.
I had breakfast, high in carbs, about hour and a half before the run. Felt good going into the run, but a bit of cramping the last few miles. Seems I do better with my Isalean shake than higher carbs prior to a heavy run. Doing 12 miles including intervals and MP training. Start from John street and across Chambers to the Hudson River Parkway which is just over a mile for the warm up. Did 4x100 in 26-28 sec (goal 27) then 4x200 in 50-55 sec (goal 54) followed by easy jog and some walking for 10 minutes and included a bathroom stop. I'm running into the wind and it's a steady 10mph at least with higher gusts. Next step is 7 miles at MP goal pace 7:56 and the first few are tough because I"m going into the wind for 2.5 miles. Then I turn around and feels great until about mile 5 where I'm running out of steam. Should have taken a gel then but kept going. Finished the 7 miles at 7:53 pace at 177 average HR. This was feeling really good. Data very similar to last time but this was a mile longer with virtually no stopping. I took a gel about 3.5 mile before starting the MP portion and should have taken another about 3.5 miles into the MP portion. Will remember that for my next attempt, which will be my last attempt with my taper right around the corner. Would like to see my HR at 173 instead of 177.
FRIDAY- I had a half hour between clients and spent that working on shoulders. Super sets of strength and stability. 6 exercises total. Kept it light to moderate in weight, but short rests. Left shoulder feels good, even with the overhead movements. That's it for the day. I had planned a bike ride today but want to get in two full days off this week since I was feeling a bit overworked earlier this week. Also did yoga and ab work today.
SATURDAY- woke up tired today. Went to see Muse last night and got home late. Had 6 1/2 hours sleep and could have used more. Have a lot to do today, so got going pretty quickly after having a shake and set out for my 20 mile long run which i'm doing on hilly terrain in Prospect Park. I've been running flat a lot, so this will feel more challenging but i'm going to take it real easy. Not feeling as recovered as I usually do before a long run, so will focus in on HR and not speed. Goal is to keep my HR average in low 150 range (abt 80% max). Warmed up 1 mile then continued to the park and went clockwise for 10 miles, turn around and go counter-clockwise. Had honey stinger gels at 4,8,12, and 15 miles, also bathroom and water stop at 12. Paused my Garmin and walked briefly for each gel. Felt really good until around 11 mile. Don't know if i'm just board of going around in circles or what. My HR is staying really low, mostly in mid 150's and into mid 160s on the hills. Seems I do better energetically when I use honey stinger and power gels, also when I'm more focused on pace instead of taking it easy. The 18 mile main set was at 9:30 pace and ave HR was 159 which is probably the lowest average for all my long runs. Temperature was really nice in the mid 40's but was a bit windy. Almost warm enough for shorts and short sleeve shirt if not for the wind.
SUNDAY- Today I was planning to get on my bike as it's the last day of my training week to do so, but I can't stand to be inside. Doing a lot of work around the apartment this weekend and it's sunny and 45 degrees outside, so i'm running! Did an easy run over the brooklyn bridge and back. Pace 9:05 and Ave HR 160. Left ITband feel a bit tight and will do some foam rolling over te next few days to correct that.
Week totals: 13 hours. Run 61 miles (over my plan by 5 miles), 9 hrs 30 min; 2:15 mi weights over 4 days; 1:15 min swim.