Tuesday, October 15, 2013

October 7-13: Look, It's a Running Race!



The re-training after the three weeks of "whatever I feel like" continued last week, and things are going along OK. I am getting fatigued quickly at threshold-level efforts, which is to be expected after the break, and after an entire summer of targeting ironman pace. The speed, it will come back. 

In an effort to force myself out of slow, easy running, I had planned to race a flat 10k on Sunday; however, the federal government shutdown altered the course and the distance was changed to a 5k. I said "no thanks" and signed up for another local 8k. The effect was still the same - having it on the calendar gave me some more motivation during speed workouts, and the race itself was a good opportunity to look at my standalone road racing speed.

And how was it? Not quite as fast as I wanted it to be, but not terrible. I'll take it for now.

Monday: Nothing.

Tuesday: In the morning, a 6.62 mile run, with a 20 minute tempo effort section and 5 hill repeats. In the evening, 4100 yards of swimming with DCRP Masters. 12 miles of bike commuting to make it a three-sport day.

Wednesday: 40 minutes of strength training in the morning. A 5.8 mile fartlek run (6x(4 minutes threshold-1 minute easy) at lunch time, and 10 miles of bike commuting.

Thursday: A 90 minute tempo workout on the bike trainer (30 minutes easy-30 minutes tempo, or 163W-30 minutes easy) in the morning. 4000 yards of swimming with DCRP Masters in the evening.

Friday: 35 minutes of strength training in the morning, easy on the legs in anticipation of an 8k race over the weekend. At lunchtime, a 5 mile run with some race pace efforts…and a lot of rain.

Allow me to illustrate how I left for a run with plain overcast skies and no precipitation, and came back to the office drenched.





Saturday: A 2 mile shakeout run and 2100 yards of swimming in the afternoon.

Sunday: 7 miles, including an 8k race in 40:30. Goal was sub-8 pace, hit 8:08 pace. Good enough for only two weeks back at it.

5 comments:

  1. Glad to see you're well on the road to where you want to be in terms of running pace again!

    Every time I see 4000+ as a figure for your swims, on top of other workouts, I'm just so impressed. I mean, I'm sure it's easy for a pro like you but swimming half of that distance alone totally exhausts me. Same goes for cycling - 20 miles of cycling and I'm done. I'd rather run the 20 miles!

    xxx

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  2. I'm with Jess in running 20 miles versus cycling...1 mile...I'm glad you are getting some speed back. Boo for that run but I love your stick figures.

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  3. Wow, nice week of training! I really need to work some strength training into my life...my weeks are woefully lacking in anything of that sort.

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  4. To echo previous comments, anything greater than 4,000 yards of swimming is impressive. I've topped out this year around 3,000, and by that point, I've been more than ready to be done. Nice job on the 8-K! (And awesome stick figures and drawings again, too.)

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  5. Ack, nothing like coming in from a lunch run with your hair soaking wet.

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