Races Like a Girl

This week’s training theme:

Everything is relative

You really can get used to anything. This past week I ran just over 67 miles. Coming off of an 80 mile week, 67 felt like a “light” week, as it was meant to be. It was all recovery and long runs, save for one “easy” day of less than eight miles. Eight miles — feh! That is easy! Even a 14 mile run now feels like a pleasantly relaxing start to the day rather than the day-destroying slog it used to be.

I split my runs between inside and outside, electing to do all the recovery runs on the treadmill to make my legs happy. I probably ran too hard this morning (four sub-marathon pace miles toward the end of my 16 miler), which I didn’t intend to do. But I felt good, which I suppose is the recovery effect.

I’m sure I’ll be exhausted again soon enough, as next week I throw myself into an 86 mile week, including a tempo run and another 20 miler next Sunday.

I am noticing that my heart rate is definitely getting lower during the marathon pace miles week by week. I will experiment with slightly faster pacing next weekend to see if I can reset my training paces based on what my heart rate does.

For now, it’s an afternoon of hot chocolate, English football and Web surfing. My needs are simple. I hope that doesn’t mean I am.

A look back at the week:

• Monday: 5.7 miles, recovery pace
• Tuesday: 7.8 miles, easy pace with 7 x 100 meter “strideouts”
• Wednesday, 11.8 miles, long run (steady) pace
• Thursday, 6 miles, recovery pace
• Friday, 10 miles, long run (steady) pace
• Saturday, 6 miles recovery pace (AM), 4 miles recovery pace (PM)
• Sunday, 16 miles, long run with miles 8-11 at or below marathon pace

Total mileage: 67.3 miles

Paces this week:

• Easy: 8:20
• Long: 7:45 – 9:20
• Recovery: 9:45 – 10:20

This week’s quote:

“If you want to become the best runner you can be, start now. Don’t spend the rest of your life wondering if you can do it.”

— Priscilla Welch

Coming up in training week seven: More miles and more sessions, including two days of doubles. Plus one more mile of suffering on the tempo run (five instead of four). And a 20 mile run with the last nine at or below marathon pace, with the possibility of resetting the pace tables downward if my heart tells me so.

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