Training Log - Week Ending April 3 - Track Time Trial (Fail)

 Hi Everyone, another week down.  I'm getting a little excited as the weather warms up and I complete my first "real" training plan.

This is week 14 of 20 week plan, ending in a 10k with a goal time of 39:00 (I keep changing my goal time as I achieve faster paces in training and 5k races).

The plan for this week is to cut back my mileage as if I have a race on Sunday.  Then on Sunday do a 5k track time trial at the local high school.  This is not part of my original training plan, but it's been three weeks since my last 5k race, and two weeks until a 8k, so the timing feels right.

This week the weather has started to change, we had a couple warm days, and....my allergies hit me pretty hard toward the end of the week.  I don't get allergies often, but I've had sinus headache most of the week, and it's made my energy lacking.

Sunday Time Trial: 

• PLAN: Run a 5k on the HS track at a pace of 5:55-5:58/mile.  My goal time was 18:30. 
• In the morning, the temp was in the mid-30's with 25-30 MPH winds with gusts up to 40 MPH.  I've never tried to run a race or a hard effort in heavy winds, I went in expecting to overcome the windy conditions by making up any time I lost heading into the wind on the down wind section.
• Well, anybody who has experience running in heavy winds will know, you can't make up for the time lost in the "headwind" section.  And....I know too!
• I ran the first mile in 6:00 flat, having to actually lean into the wind on some sections of the track, and working REALLY hard.
• I crossed 1.5 miles in 9:00 and was completely blown up....and I stopped.
• Now that I'm home, had a meal, shower, and cooled down, I feel bad that I stopped.  I should have adjusted my pace and did the work.  I think I would have ended up running somewhere around 19:30....if I would have known the impact of the wind.
• After walking to recover, I did 2 x 400 @ 1:23 - 1:25, then 2 x 800 @ 2:55-2:57, with a walking recovery between of about 1:30.
• So...overall I got in 3 miles of hard work...but not the time trial I planned.
• I let my frustration with the conditions get the best of me....lesson learned.

Weekly Mileage:  30.3
Long Run:  No long run this week
Weight:  142 (too much Easter goodness, and vacation eating)

Below are the daily workouts this week:

Daily Work:

• Monday - 4 miles on the treadmill at about 8:10 pace.  I was hurtin some from yesterday's 15 miler.  I was supposed to do 5 miles, but just wasn't "feelin it", so I cut it short to do a few extra minutes of foam rolling and dynamic stretching.

• Tuesday - 5 miles + 4 strides on  treadmill @ Detroit hotel (business trip).  Dynmaic warmup

• Wednesday - Plan: 10 miles including 4 x 1k @ 10k pace + 4 x 400 @ 5k pace.   On the treadmill, so it was easier to go by time than distance; so I did 4 x 4:00 @ 6:15 pace, then 4 x 1:30 @ 5:55 pace, and since I'm planning a 5k time trial on Sunday, I cut the overall mileage to 8 (not that it will make that much difference).  Dynamic stretching, ITB rehab routine, upper body strength.

• Thursday -  4 miles easy.  Outside on streets around work.  Nice weather, easy run.  Felt good.  Dynamic stretching.  Foam rolling.  Some fatigue from yesterday. 

• Friday - off.  No work.

• Saturday - 3.3 miles easy around house + 4 uphill strides.  Hip mobility and strength.  Foam rolling.

• Sunday - HS track.  2 mile warm up - 1 x 1.5 mi @ 9:00, 2 x 400 @ 1:23-1:25, 2 x 800 @ 2:55-2:57 - all in heavy winds. 2 mile cool down.  About 7 miles total.  ITB rehab work, single leg dead lifts and squats, core work.  Foam rolling., dynamic stretching.

Back to higher mileage next week.....