Training Week Joys

Ah yes the weekly training blog.  This was an interesting week for me because I raced more this week than any other week.  Though I guess race is loosely coined since swimming races are not really something I train much for.  (if you count my twice in the pool a week then I’m hardcore…)So with that being said, I did a lot of basebuilding miles again.  I feel kind of boring repetitive saying that every week (much like when I post my eats) but most of my runs are not too exciting.

I did a lot of ten milers and then about ½ mile of striders at the end.

Striders are basically sprinting the end to teach your body that it can indeed run on tired legs.  In cross country races (for my collegiate section) the matter of getting the top 15 in a race versus top 50 normally takes place in about 20 seconds.  So you need to be able to move it.

As to what I’m focusing on.

I find it easier this week to just type out what I did rather then explain it in paragraph form.  Plus it’s my blog so I do what I feel.

Monday: 

AM: 10.5 mile run

PM: 3000 meter swim

Back and Bicep p90X

Tuesday:

AM Easy shakeout 8.1 mile run

PM: Scholarship Memorial 5k 19:03 (I’ll recap tomorrow…I know you are dying to read it)

Wednesday: 12.7 mile run

Thursday:  10.5 mile run (followed by travling to New York)

Friday: 15.2 long run on trails and on hills.  The elevation was rather pretty intense, changing in elevation by 150+ feet in short bursts.  I like hills though and I know this was the sort of run I needed toi do because that is how cross country is.  Not on pavement and not on flat ground.  So thus I must pound it into my head to try and take hilly trail running when I can.  I enjoy it though, the opportunities are just far and few in between.

Saturday: 2 mile open water swim.  The course was long and full of current.  I’m way behind race recaps and I’ll put that out sometime next week.  (I know-don’t cry…)

*No running, I told myself I would not run on a treadmill this summer and that was my only option.  So I didn’t run.

Sunday: 5k Open Water swim (yes, you are reading that correctly)

10.5 mile run (more of a shakeout then anything)

Total: 72 miles of running and too much swimming.  LOL, kidding of course-I enjoyed my workouts.  I don’t do anything I don’t enjoy. 

I was obviously hoping for 80, but sometimes life doesn’t work that way.  I took Saturday off from running and don’t regret it.

———–

Where am I going now?

This is a pivotal week of training for me.  I am done with open water swims.  I will (maybe?) swim once a week (or for cross training) but there is no need for me to swim consistently.  So I won’t.  I’m not going to burn more calories and energy when I don’t need too.

My once or twice a week swims are being replaced with running specific weight training to reduce injury likelyness and also rest.

Question for you:

Do you run on the treadmill? 

What was best/favorite workout this week? 

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10 Comments

  1. 72 miles is amazing Hollie! Great job 🙂

    I do run on the treadmill, but I’m not too serious about running so I don’t mind it. 🙂

  2. My favorite workout was a 12-mile run I went on with my friends who are training for a marathon. The pace was quite a bit slower than I would have liked (around 11-12 minute miles) but the experience of being with other people during a long run was unbeatable. It was so much more fun than doing it alone!

  3. Anything above 5K on the treadmill, and I’m ready to stab someone. Probably myself.

    From your race pics on Twitter you look so strong; not just aesthetically but running always looks effortless for you. You have brilliant form as well – I wish I didn’t heel strike so badly!

    Favourite workout was probably the sweatiest Body Attack class ever because the air-con was broken, the class was full (so thirty people in a tiny room with no circulating air…) but the energy was amazing and the plyo star jumps made me slightly manic and hyper. Love Body Attack and wish my joints could handle the impact so I could do it and still run more often.

    1. I have actually always walked on my toes so when I started running, I naturally ran (too far) up on my toes. I think body attack/pump is nuts! I used to attend once a month at my local gym. 🙂

  4. love the no treadmill rule! I refuse to get on those things. If I can’t run outside, I’d rather ride my bike/the trainer or do like arctrainer or whatever rather than run inside. I love striders at the end of runs, they really have made a difference for me on race day in the past!

  5. I run on the treadmill cause it helps me avoid injury.. I fully believe that every body is different, as I know the treadmill made you injured last year! My favourite workout was a half marathon today that I ran comfortably, no pushing. Lots of hills. But I finished! 🙂

  6. I do run on the treadmill occasionally. I ran on it a lot back when I lived in Florence and had a membership at a swanky gym there (yes, the gym there was way swankier than the one here in Charleston). Now… I do classes at the gym, group runs, or run around the neighborhood just because I have places to explore and new running routes. Even there probably 75% of my runs were outside but now like 100% are! If it rains all day or something I will just go to the gym and do a class before I do treadmill.

    I can’t believe you did an open water SWIM 5k. That’s so hardcore!

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