Quality: 13 miles with 8 at marathon pace on Wednesday. 16 mile long run on Saturday.
Trail: N/A
Easy: 4 runs for 24 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 6 runs & 0 rides for 53 miles.
Week one of the taper went mostly according to plan. Had to skip out on Sunday's run due to just being tired from cleaning out the back yard all day. According to my phone I walked over 4 miles doing the yard work, so I counted that as good. Taper is for resting anyway so I didn't want to push it.
Wednesday's tempo run went great & built a lot of confidence with the race so close. Was able to hit pace for 8 miles even with our normal spring headwinds. Wasn't completely wrecked following the workout, felt like I could keep going.
Prior to this training cycle I viewed 16 mile runs as a big deal, something to get up early for, eat a good breakfast, etc. Now they are just another run with a 20 miler taking their place as something special. That is a testament to what solid mileage will do for a body. My long run on Saturday was uneventful, ended up averaging a sub 8min/mi pace without pushing for it.
Next week will be another step down in mileage but will maintain the mid week tempo to keep my legs used to marathon pace. The weather is absolutely fantastic outside & makes me want to run more than I should. Looking forward to a more trail-centric training phase following the marathon.
Monday, April 18, 2016
Monday, April 11, 2016
2016 Training Log : 4/4 - 4/10
Quality: 18 mile long run on Saturday
Trail: 10 miles at CVP on Monday.
Easy: 5 runs for 45 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 7 runs & 0 rides for 73 miles.
Great week of training following the unexpected down time from the calf strain. Really boosted my confidence to be able to get out there & mostly hit my target for the week. Opted to just do an easy run on Wednesday instead of a tempo run & shortened my long run to 18 miles. I wanted to be 100% sure I was healed with the race quickly approaching.
This was my first full week of running with the Magellan Echo & iSmoothRun. Such an awesome combo that I might be totally swayed from the Garmin side. Time will tell if it is truly ready for prime time, but right now I'm not seeing any downside to it. Some quirkiness to it but that's easy to get accustomed to.
With the Flying Pig 21 days out next week starts my taper phase. Hopefully the taper madness doesn't get too strong & I make it through well rested for Cinci.
Trail: 10 miles at CVP on Monday.
Easy: 5 runs for 45 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 7 runs & 0 rides for 73 miles.
Great week of training following the unexpected down time from the calf strain. Really boosted my confidence to be able to get out there & mostly hit my target for the week. Opted to just do an easy run on Wednesday instead of a tempo run & shortened my long run to 18 miles. I wanted to be 100% sure I was healed with the race quickly approaching.
This was my first full week of running with the Magellan Echo & iSmoothRun. Such an awesome combo that I might be totally swayed from the Garmin side. Time will tell if it is truly ready for prime time, but right now I'm not seeing any downside to it. Some quirkiness to it but that's easy to get accustomed to.
With the Flying Pig 21 days out next week starts my taper phase. Hopefully the taper madness doesn't get too strong & I make it through well rested for Cinci.
Little cow says moooore miles...
Wednesday, April 6, 2016
2016 Training Log : 3/28 - 4/3
Quality: N/A
Trail: 8 miles at CVP on Friday. 12 miles at Skullbuster on Saturday.
Easy: 2 runs for 10 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 4 runs & 0 rides for 30 miles.
I was very fortunate that my calf strain only put me out for a week. I'll take 7 days of missed runs over a year of dealing with a nagging injury. I guess that's the only good that came out of last years struggle with hip & achilles issues. I've learned to not run through pain & take time off to heal up. Old me would have tried to run through this & spent the next nine months trying to get the train back on the track.
This week was to be a step back week, so not too worried about the lower mileage. Got in some good trail running with the dry conditions at both of the local trails. Even got the kid out for a nice hike along the Sheltowee Trace on Sunday, showing her some of my favorite places to hike as a kid. Hopefully her interest for exploration sticks & we get some more hiking in this summer. So much to see, so little time!
During my down time I've been doing some thinking & research on GPS. In particular the GPS on my phone. Due to work & family I always carry my phone with me when I run. This sort of makes my GPS watch redundant, but the phone is super awkward to use for mid run stats since I keep it in a belt most of the time. Enter the Magellan Echo smart sportswatch. I found one on Ebay for $30 which is cheap enough that I'm not burned if it doesn't work out as expected. This watch will pair up with iSmoothRun & allow me to setup customer screens, etc. This gives me that mid run stats view that I need so badly for a fraction of the cost.
I've also been looking at external receivers for the iPhone, mostly the Garmin Glo. This system basically pairs with your phone over bluetooth giving it a 10Hz GPSr. Not something I would carry on every run, but deep in the woods with good canopy coverage I can see it being of use. I found my phone really struggled in spots along the ST this weekend. This device will be useful even outside of running, so if I decide to go back to a dedicated GPS watch I'll still use it for hiking or way finding in difficult areas.
I'll be running with both systems for a couple of weeks to find the optimal placement of the phone & to see if this is a viable alternative. The tracks laid down by today's open sky run look very promising. This post on GPS accuracy also ranks the iPhone very high: http://fellrnr.com/wiki/GPS_Accuracy.
I also got in some rock stacking practice
Trail: 8 miles at CVP on Friday. 12 miles at Skullbuster on Saturday.
Easy: 2 runs for 10 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 4 runs & 0 rides for 30 miles.
I was very fortunate that my calf strain only put me out for a week. I'll take 7 days of missed runs over a year of dealing with a nagging injury. I guess that's the only good that came out of last years struggle with hip & achilles issues. I've learned to not run through pain & take time off to heal up. Old me would have tried to run through this & spent the next nine months trying to get the train back on the track.
This week was to be a step back week, so not too worried about the lower mileage. Got in some good trail running with the dry conditions at both of the local trails. Even got the kid out for a nice hike along the Sheltowee Trace on Sunday, showing her some of my favorite places to hike as a kid. Hopefully her interest for exploration sticks & we get some more hiking in this summer. So much to see, so little time!
During my down time I've been doing some thinking & research on GPS. In particular the GPS on my phone. Due to work & family I always carry my phone with me when I run. This sort of makes my GPS watch redundant, but the phone is super awkward to use for mid run stats since I keep it in a belt most of the time. Enter the Magellan Echo smart sportswatch. I found one on Ebay for $30 which is cheap enough that I'm not burned if it doesn't work out as expected. This watch will pair up with iSmoothRun & allow me to setup customer screens, etc. This gives me that mid run stats view that I need so badly for a fraction of the cost.
I've also been looking at external receivers for the iPhone, mostly the Garmin Glo. This system basically pairs with your phone over bluetooth giving it a 10Hz GPSr. Not something I would carry on every run, but deep in the woods with good canopy coverage I can see it being of use. I found my phone really struggled in spots along the ST this weekend. This device will be useful even outside of running, so if I decide to go back to a dedicated GPS watch I'll still use it for hiking or way finding in difficult areas.
I'll be running with both systems for a couple of weeks to find the optimal placement of the phone & to see if this is a viable alternative. The tracks laid down by today's open sky run look very promising. This post on GPS accuracy also ranks the iPhone very high: http://fellrnr.com/wiki/GPS_Accuracy.
That's gotta be wicked fun on a MTB
I also got in some rock stacking practice
Wednesday, March 30, 2016
2016 Training Log : 3/21 - 3/27
Quality: 16 miles on Wednesday.
Trail: 12 miles at Capitol View Park on Monday.
Easy: 1 run for 6 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 3 runs & 0 rides for 34 miles.
Sometimes when you're riding that razor's edge between high mileage & too high you get cut. I knew going into Wednesday's tempo run that the accumulated fatigue was catching up with me, but with next week being a down week I pushed through. I was only able to do about a quarter of a mile at marathon pace before I pulled up, something didn't feel right with my hip & I didn't want to blow my chances of running Cinci on a re-injury of my hip. So I decided to just run the 16 miles as a mid week long run. Everything was going well until about 6 miles into the run when I felt a pretty sharp pain in my right calf. If you know me well then you know I have a tendency to run through things, so I finished up the 16 miler.
By Thursday it was obvious that this wasn't just a niggle, but a real injury. Luckily I spent all last year battling demons brought on by running through injuries that I should have let heal. The calf got a little better day by day & I was even able to go for a short hike with the kid on Sunday. Monday was my first day pain free, but I was sedentary all day so not a good gauge of healing. Tuesday had me on my feet all day & was also pain free. My new rule regarding injuries is that I have to get in one non-sedentary day pain free before I can run again.
While it stings to miss a week of training so close to the marathon it is better than missing the marathon all together. This week is a down week in mileage on the schedule so I'm going to use it to ease back into running, paying very close attention to any signs of re-injury. With all clear I can go into one last high mileage week before the taper & still be in good shape for Cinci.
Trail: 12 miles at Capitol View Park on Monday.
Easy: 1 run for 6 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 3 runs & 0 rides for 34 miles.
Sometimes when you're riding that razor's edge between high mileage & too high you get cut. I knew going into Wednesday's tempo run that the accumulated fatigue was catching up with me, but with next week being a down week I pushed through. I was only able to do about a quarter of a mile at marathon pace before I pulled up, something didn't feel right with my hip & I didn't want to blow my chances of running Cinci on a re-injury of my hip. So I decided to just run the 16 miles as a mid week long run. Everything was going well until about 6 miles into the run when I felt a pretty sharp pain in my right calf. If you know me well then you know I have a tendency to run through things, so I finished up the 16 miler.
By Thursday it was obvious that this wasn't just a niggle, but a real injury. Luckily I spent all last year battling demons brought on by running through injuries that I should have let heal. The calf got a little better day by day & I was even able to go for a short hike with the kid on Sunday. Monday was my first day pain free, but I was sedentary all day so not a good gauge of healing. Tuesday had me on my feet all day & was also pain free. My new rule regarding injuries is that I have to get in one non-sedentary day pain free before I can run again.
While it stings to miss a week of training so close to the marathon it is better than missing the marathon all together. This week is a down week in mileage on the schedule so I'm going to use it to ease back into running, paying very close attention to any signs of re-injury. With all clear I can go into one last high mileage week before the taper & still be in good shape for Cinci.
Sunday, March 20, 2016
2016 Training Log : 3/14 - 3/20
Quality: 16 miles with 10 at marathon pace on Wednesday. 20 mile long run on Saturday.
Trail: 12 miles at Capitol View Park on Friday. 8 miles at Skullbuster on Sunday.
Easy: 5 runs for 25 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 9 runs & 0 rides for 81 miles.
Another record mileage week. I seem to be getting used to this amount of mileage, not nearly as tired as last week. I even felt pretty fresh following the long run & my tempo run, which due to the gusting wind was more of a marathon effort run. I can run through just about anything weather wise but constant strong winds seem to just drive me insane. Of course I'll be begging for a breeze come mid Summer.
I was also fortunate for a dry week weather wise, allowing me to get some trail time in. With Spring coming to the Bluegrass I love being able to watch the forest wake up from its Winter slumber. It had definitely been a while since I had last visited CVP, so I was stoked to get some miles in there. Mountain bikers are finally coming out of hibernation as well, which means I have to pay more attention during my trail runs.
Next week calls for more of the same, then a down week, then a super peak week & finally the taper!
Trail: 12 miles at Capitol View Park on Friday. 8 miles at Skullbuster on Sunday.
Easy: 5 runs for 25 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 9 runs & 0 rides for 81 miles.
Another record mileage week. I seem to be getting used to this amount of mileage, not nearly as tired as last week. I even felt pretty fresh following the long run & my tempo run, which due to the gusting wind was more of a marathon effort run. I can run through just about anything weather wise but constant strong winds seem to just drive me insane. Of course I'll be begging for a breeze come mid Summer.
I was also fortunate for a dry week weather wise, allowing me to get some trail time in. With Spring coming to the Bluegrass I love being able to watch the forest wake up from its Winter slumber. It had definitely been a while since I had last visited CVP, so I was stoked to get some miles in there. Mountain bikers are finally coming out of hibernation as well, which means I have to pay more attention during my trail runs.
Next week calls for more of the same, then a down week, then a super peak week & finally the taper!
Easter lilies in bloom
Come on down!
Monday, March 14, 2016
2016 Training Log : 3/7 - 3/13
Quality: 16 miles with 10 at marathon pace on Wednesday. 20 mile long run on Saturday.
Trail: 12 miles at Skullbuster on Friday.
Easy: 6 runs for 30 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 9 runs & 0 rides for 78 miles.
Whew, what a week! Hit a PR for weekly mileage & made all my scheduled runs. The weather was fantastic with Spring finally making an appearance. Unfortunately this also means a lot of rain, which makes getting in some trail running harder. I really need to find a trail that drains well, one that could be ran a day or two after rain. My favorite trails usually take a long time to fully dry out.
Wednesday's workout was a beast. Did a 4 mile warm up, then 10 miles at marathon pace & finished with a 2 mile cool down. Was really slogging through the cool down portion, likely close to depletion. Surprisingly my legs weren't totally dead during Thursday's shake out run.
Saturday's long run was accompanied by some of the warmest temperatures we've seen this year. The 20oz of water I had just wasn't enough & by mile 15 I was dry. Either need to pack more for these or go earlier when it's a bit cooler. Sadly only got in one run with the kid, she suffered an ankle sprain on a field trip. Hopefully she'll be back in action next week. 7 weeks till Nashville!
Trail: 12 miles at Skullbuster on Friday.
Easy: 6 runs for 30 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 9 runs & 0 rides for 78 miles.
Whew, what a week! Hit a PR for weekly mileage & made all my scheduled runs. The weather was fantastic with Spring finally making an appearance. Unfortunately this also means a lot of rain, which makes getting in some trail running harder. I really need to find a trail that drains well, one that could be ran a day or two after rain. My favorite trails usually take a long time to fully dry out.
Wednesday's workout was a beast. Did a 4 mile warm up, then 10 miles at marathon pace & finished with a 2 mile cool down. Was really slogging through the cool down portion, likely close to depletion. Surprisingly my legs weren't totally dead during Thursday's shake out run.
Saturday's long run was accompanied by some of the warmest temperatures we've seen this year. The 20oz of water I had just wasn't enough & by mile 15 I was dry. Either need to pack more for these or go earlier when it's a bit cooler. Sadly only got in one run with the kid, she suffered an ankle sprain on a field trip. Hopefully she'll be back in action next week. 7 weeks till Nashville!
Teeter Totters in the wild...
Monday, March 7, 2016
2016 Training Log : 2/29 - 3/6
Quality: 14 mile long run on Saturday.
Trail: 8 miles at Skullbuster
Easy: 7 runs for 30 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 9 runs & 0 rides for 52 miles.
Step back in mileage this week & made all but one scheduled run. With the addition of couch to 5k with my eldest the mileage ended up being on target. Luckily the first few weeks of couch to 5k are as much running as they are walking, so not a huge addition in stress to the system. Really do enjoy being able to run with her & looking forward to her 5k.
Ventured out to the Skullbuster on Monday for a trail run. Even though it hadn't rained in a few days there were still plenty of soupy places adding some extra challenge. By Wednesday the down mileage week was starting to kick in & the pace picked up. Going into the next week's mileage bump body is feeling fresh & rested. These next three weeks are going to be brutal & I couldn't be more excited going into them!
Trail: 8 miles at Skullbuster
Easy: 7 runs for 30 miles.
Cycling: N/A
Total: 9 runs & 0 rides for 52 miles.
Step back in mileage this week & made all but one scheduled run. With the addition of couch to 5k with my eldest the mileage ended up being on target. Luckily the first few weeks of couch to 5k are as much running as they are walking, so not a huge addition in stress to the system. Really do enjoy being able to run with her & looking forward to her 5k.
Ventured out to the Skullbuster on Monday for a trail run. Even though it hadn't rained in a few days there were still plenty of soupy places adding some extra challenge. By Wednesday the down mileage week was starting to kick in & the pace picked up. Going into the next week's mileage bump body is feeling fresh & rested. These next three weeks are going to be brutal & I couldn't be more excited going into them!
Throwback to last year's 5k
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