Weekly Training Log: Taper Week - 6 days Till Richmond Marathon

Hello Runners.

As the title suggests, this is a taper week, I run the Richmond marathon November 16th (6 days).  My schedule this week follows the normal Tuesday workout, but I've moved the LR to Friday and took an extra day off from running.

Long Run was moved to Friday - so I can move next week's workout to Monday and have two days to recover from Friday.  Monday gives me 5 days to fully recover for the race on Saturday.  Does moving the Saturday-Tuesday schedule to Friday-Monday make any difference?  I don't know.  I do know, mentally it makes me feel better - that's probably worth it on it's own.

Around Thursday this week my legs started feeling some pep come back.  The last 8-9 weeks have included higher mileage than normal for me with pretty big workouts.  So, I've had this  kind of constant low level fatigue in my legs that never went away.  My easy run on Sunday felt pretty smooth and I was having to hold back on the pace...a good sign (I think).

Tuesday's workout - Went well.  3 miles at MP / 1 mile at HMP / 3 miles at MP.  MP continues to feel "comfortable" - the way runner's define comfortable.  My breathing is completely under control, almost to the level of easy run breathing.  HMP still gets the heart pumping and accelerates breathing, but I'm able to quickly calm back down into "MP mode".  I think this bodes well.

Side Note:  Tuesday was also my last leg strength routine.  After Tuesday's workout and Saturday LR, I do a leg strength routine that include Hungarian split squats, side steps with band, leg curls using that big exercise ball, single leg bridges, and calf raises (35 lb kettle bell used for all except the side steps).

Friday "Long Run" - Friday followed a typical long run model for me, but the mileage has been cut down significantly.  Run was 4 miles Easy / 6 @ MP / 1 mile cool down.  Total of 11 miles.  Again the MP felt comfortable.  Legs still "coming around".  I ran in VaporFly Next % for this run.  Not so much for the speed, but to limit leg muscle damage, and to better "feel" MP in the type of shoes I will wear in the race.

Week Summary:

• Workout:  11 miles with 3MP/1HMP/3MP.  Felt good.
• Long Run: 11 miles with 6@MP
• Total miles: 40 (down from high of 64 during the build up)

Daily:

• Monday: 7 miles easy. Strides.  Foam roll / stretch.
• Tuesday:  11 miles with 7 @ faster  pace.  Leg/hip strength.  Foam roll.
• Wednesday:  OFF.  30' walk.
• Thursday: 5 miles easy. Strides.  Upper body/core strength.  Foam roll/stretch.
• Friday: 11 miles w 6 @ MP.
• Saturday: OFF.  30' walk.  Crap load of foam rolling and stretching.
• Sunday: 6 miles easy.  Strides.

"Hay's in the barn".  One mini-workout left on Monday with a couple easy jogs leading to Saturday's race.  This allows more time to constantly obsess about the weather forecast for Saturday morning in Richmond Virginia.  What to wear?  What to wear!  Shit, what to wear?!

Onward.