This was a week of “firsts in a long time”: first tempo run outside, first speedwork session, first run over 10 miles, first week over 50 miles.
I spent a fair amount of time this week experimenting in order to answer some basic questions here, at the start of a new training cycle. How fast should I run 1K intervals? How much running should I do the day after a tempo run? Is it a good idea to do some spinning the evening before a long run?
I am also trying to reintroduce some regular core strengthening work, since I am aware of how weak I am after I hit about the 8 mile mark on a run. My back is not happy the next day, so I need to work on the muscles that keep me upright. Have I mentioned how dreary and uncomfortable core work is? I hate doing it. But it sure beats pool running. Everything’s relative, I guess.
I managed three hard workouts again this week, from your staples of training run types: tempo, speed, long. The tempo run was difficult, the speed session not so difficult — and today’s long run was just meh on account of being scaled down from the original plan, which was to run 11, but do the last 2 at 7:30.
Although the rest of me had plenty of energy, my legs were not into it today. So I turned the run into what Sandra likes to call a “listen to your body” run — just run whatever effort/pace you feel like running. The result was wildly varying paces — from 7:45-8:30. But it was fine and I didn’t beat myself up about bailing on the original plan. A few miles at 7:45 is close enough. I will not do a moderate spin effort beforehand next time. Too much.
The Coogan’s 5K is a week from tomorrow, so I’ve only got two hard workouts this coming week — another speed session and a run with a few miles at race effort. The rest is easy with mileage around 40. The adductor was only an issue today, for part of the run. I have no clue what triggers it, since you’d think 1Ks on the treadmill would piss it off. But it was not too bad.
This post was boring. Sorry.
Filed under: central park, coaching, training |
Races Like a Girl 
Yeah Julie, wtf. Who has time for a boring blog post?
Actually, I was happy for you to read that you allowed yourself to have a run during which you just listened to your body. And also, to me reading about anyone training at sub-8 minutes per mile is exciting, since I am still far from such times being a daily occurrence.
Also, if you hate corework, Pilates might be a good answer. I find it less onerous if I’m in a room with other people, and there is a nice instructor gently telling us “just 2 more minutes in your planks.” Ha!
PS I say skip yoga. I do it once a year in a delusional fit of optimism, and I always end up straining some muscle that is far too inflexible to be in a yoga studio. Fuck yoga.
PPS I realize you did not ask me about yoga. I am just feeling chatty, and nosy.
You do planks for 2 minutes? Fuck me. I can only do a plank for about 45 seconds. I will probably never do Pilates or yoga. I don’t like “exercise classes” in general and prefer to do this stuff at home, on a rug, in front of My Strange Addiction or What Not To Wear.
Is the adductor irritated more by being outside than on the treadmill? That would make sense, since it’s used a lot for stabilization, which you do a lot more of outside.
That’s a good theory, although I’ve had it act up on the treadmill too. I just think it’s one of those things that comes and goes, perhaps in reaction to something other stress or activity (weight work, walking, sleeping in a certain position) entirely.
Pilates is good value for core strength. I do it at home watching Wipeout or Hoarders. I think there’s a DVD – ‘Pilates for Runners’ or something similar.
Good week. The 5k will be an interesting fitness test.