Training Log - Week Ending 1/10/16

This is "Week 3" of my 20 week plan for a couple 5k's, an 8k, and a 10k in the Spring.  No real speed work yet...building up endurance and some "Less Than Tempo to Tempo" pacing on Wednesday.  I'm also "pushing" my Long Run pace a bit, so by the end of the run it feels a little faster than "conversational"....

This week was the first week in the DC area of  "real" winter temps.  Mornings were about 15 degrees.  This is my first winter of training (I ran some last winter but only now and then, no real plan), the colder temps are challenging my resolve....but I did get out there and do the work, so that feels good.

This is also my first week back at work after the Holidays (I had two weeks off), so it was rude awakening (literally) when the alarm went off at 5:00 so I could get in 9 miles before work.  My wife thinks I'm crazy for doing this (more like confirming what she already thought), and gets a little irritated when the alarm also wakes her (but she mostly just smacks me and rolls over to go back to sleep).

Tuesday - I just didn't want to layer up for my easy 4 miler (app said temp "feels like" 5), so I ran on a treadmill instead.  Treadmill observations:

• 8:00 pace @ 1% incline "feels" harder than if I was outside on a flat road.  Could just be the mental boredom, becausemy HR was not any higher than normal for an easy run.  Felt more in my calves - because of the incline?
• I manually counted my cadence - it was in the low 180's...but my TomTom watch records cadence closer to 190 when I run around 8:00 pace on the road....so does that mean I'm taking longer strides on the treadmill?  I don't know how the TomTom records cadence...I should try and manually count my cadence next time I have an easy run on the road.

Wednesday:  5:00 am alarm, 15 degrees, and 9 miles planned with tempo pace at the end.  Challenge accepted!  I don't have any "thicker" running clothes, so I end up with a lot of layers.  4 on top (including a shell jacket), two pair of tights, two pair of gloves, my thickest wool hat (for my bald head), a neck gaiter thing I can pull up over my chin, and I'm off.  This worked pretty good....my only issues were cold toes for the first 15 minutes or so.  I get cold more than most, and don't generally overheat too much...so this might be overkill for others.  But for me...about right.

Sunday: I had planned to run the C&O Canal towpath, but hesitated since it had been raining all night and I wasn't sure what condition the path would be in.  Then, I decided "that's part of the experience"...so I ran on the path, and it became my personal "mud run"....(separate post with full details under tag "C&O Canal Towpath").

Other Notes:

• Sleep matters - back at work this week, and I didn't manage my time well...so I got less sleep than I needed.  I have to improve this if I'm going to be successful.  By Friday I was dragging pretty good.
• Weight - I weigh myself after working out and before the shower, so about the lightest I'm going to be for the week (but that's when I've always weighed myself, so at least comparison is consistent), and I'm just about 140 this week.  That's a good weight for me and about where I was when I ended my last running cycle (before I injured myself), last October.  So...that feels good.

This week's training log below (my highest mileage week and longest run EVER....)

Total miles:  34.5 miles (with 11 miler on Sunday...my longest run yet)

Monday - Rest - foam roller, dynamic stretching.

Tuesday - 4 mi @ 8:00 pace + 4 strides on treadmill @ 1% incline.  Easy day.  Dynamic stretching warm-up and cool down + core workout.

Wednesday - 9 mi with an overall pace of 7:35.  First 5 miles around 8:05 pace, then mile 6-9 progression from 7:00 to 6:35 pace. Last mile @ 6:35 required some huffing and puffing, but not too bad.  First "tempo" speed workout since my ITB injury last October.  (For reference my 10k "goal" pace in 16 weeks is 6:15 - 6:20)  W&OD trail.  Dynamic stretching warm-up and cool down,  Foam rolling.

Thursday - Rest - foam roller, dynamic stretching.  ITB rehab routine (Strength Running) + single leg deadlifts.  Got a shoulder rotator cuff niggle...skipping upper body strength.

Friday - 7.5 mi. @ 7:50 pace on W&OD trail.  Dynamic stretching warm-up and cool down.  Got a head lamp.  Nice!  "I can see clearly now....."  Moving ITB (which includes Pistol Squats) and Single Leg Deadlift to last night had some lingering affects on the my run this morning.  Not bad, but noticeable.  ITB in both legs feel tight.....uh oh.  Gotta watch it.

Saturday - 3 mi @ 8:20 pace + 4 hill sprints (about 10 seconds each) on dirt farm roads around my house.  Dynamic stretching warm-up and cool down + core workout.  I was feeling a little fatigued, so I made this run really easy to fully recover for tomorrow's long run.

Sunday - 11 mi @ 7:14 pace on quite "splashy" and "muddy" C&O canal.  (If interested for details on what I saw - I'll post on it separately).  Dynamic stretching warm-up and cool down + ITB rehab route from Strength Running + upper body strength.  I have not been taking any food or water on my long runs.  Today's run was about 1:20, think it's time to pop a gel around 50 minutes so I don't fade towards the end of the run which means I also have to carry water (which I hate to do).