| Monday: | Off |
| Tuesday: | Off |
| Wednesday: | 10.5 mile run treadmill (8:45 pace) |
| Thursday: | AM: 10.4 mile run (8:37 pace) |
| PM: 6.26 Tempo Run (7:20 pace) | |
| Friday: | 10.4 miles easy |
| Saturday: | 11.53 miles outdoors easy |
| Sunday: | 15 miles |
What I didn’t list was my first 20 mile run done last Sunday. At first glance, you would think that is why I took both Monday and Tuesday off. In reality that is why I took Monday off, but I got absolutely sick (not running related) on Monday afternoon so I decided to take Tuesday off too. I’m not really that concerned about it. I decided to not let this week bother me too much because although my legs are certainly still a little bit achy from my 20 miler, they are recovering.
Also, I’m not going to exercise and make myself more sick. Running is still a collection of months and years…not just days or single runs. So what that I skipped 2 days of running…I still survived.
I’ve been doing my tempo runs on the treadmill lately (as well as all my running really). The weather in Upstate NY stinks and combined with work…I’m not running outside in 15 degree snowy weather. If you can tell me that you’ll run 10 miles in the dark, snow, and wind (roughly 20 degrees when I wake up without windchill…well you are more badass then me).
I’m also not running outside at that time when there has been a couple hit and runs in my area. So what if I’m a baby…I’d rather be a baby and be alive in the summer.
Future thoughts:
Next week I am hoping to have a productive training week of around 75 miles and then the following I’ll be tapering and running the Nike Women’s half in DC. Something I wanted to briefly touch base about (with myself at least) is that I peaked entirely too early for Shamrock half last month. My body was not ready to do a 1:25. I’m happy yes, don’t get me wrong. Who doesn’t love a PR in a huge race? But that being said, I’m not sure at this training peak, I’m ready to repeat that. Though it’s been over a month, my legs are still not fully recovered. I’ll still be happy with anything under a 1:30, however. My main goal is to have a good time and enjoy the time spent with my dad!
Questions for you:
Have you ever peaked too early for a race?
How do you view your training?
I’m sure two days off for rough for you but probably best for your legs. I’m excited to hear your running the Nike Women’s Half. I must have missed reading it – or simply forgot – somewhere along the lines, but that’s really cool! Are you staying overnight or going down for the day?
LOL, it’s a seven hour drive. I’m going down for the weekend to see my dad.
It sent before I was done but I really don’t have a problem taking rest days. I don’t quite understand why people get upset to take a few. I would hate to take months off for an injury but I don’t mind one or two rest days.
Well, for a race, some people would probably be willing to completely alter sleep schedules to drive, but that’s nice! I’ve never been to DC so be a good blogger and take a lot of pictures LOL
I think a lot of athletes forget that their training is a compilation of weeks/months/even years of workouts, not just a single day, so it’s important to back off when needed. I definitely stepped off the training “gas pedal” this week, so I feel rested, recovered, and ready to attack this week’s workouts. So excited to hear how the Nike DC Half goes–you’ll do great!
OMG yes you are way more badass when you take a pic of that tready whilst running… seriously I am impressed the last time I went on I flew off cos some numpty turned it up too much before getting on (rookie mistake) and yes not a fan of them… or rephrase they just don’t like me as I also got really sore shins the whole 3 times I’ve used them… Anywho moving on… haha I know you’ve missed my rambles! 😀 Oh oh you should so come here and train, it’s spring suppose to be going into winter but it’s like summer still so hot like I went surfing every day last week after my runs and the water is so warm! 🙂
The Nike Half sounds impressive, wish I could come over to watch it and cheer… possibly run… although I know my legs just don’t have the miles in them yet… I’m still stressing that I may have a stressie in my tibia as the pain wont go away yikes… so had a few days off myself… and I too had to convince myself that a few days were not going to hurt in the scheme of things and yet crazily I still wanted to run, oh dear, hello addicted runner here! Anyway hope you have an epic training week just as spectacular as this ramble, I mean I think I deserve a medal for that alone hehe… So glad to be back on here… You were one of the ones I missed the mostest! 🙂
The end 🙂
Glad to see you back as well! I def did not take the photo while running…that was a post run (you know the 10 seconds they give before the treadmill just turns off…rude LOL)
that goes to show you my experience with treadmills, cos I cant remember the 10 secs before it goes off, don’t laugh I usually push the big red button (prob for emergencies) and then literally jump to the edge whilst it’s still going like a complete spastic! 😀
Peaking too soon is something I really relate to – it’s happened twice in my life and both times I’ve been injured and unable to run races that were pretty much PRs in the bag. In 2010 I did three 22 mile long runs, and all of them were at an 8:15 pace or under (and they felt easy)…then I had IT band syndrome just over a month before the marathon I was training for and on the day they ran the race, I couldn’t even walk down the street. Second time around was in 2011 – I’d run some really strong shorter races and I was sure a sub-3:30 was in the bag. Until I ended up with a stress fracture…then I tried to run through it and got two more in my other hip. I do this so often because I always feel unprepared and terrified of failure. I know I’m always overtrained to the point of exhaustion but I can’t get past the ‘must do more’ mentality.
Unlike you, I’m rarely able to see the bigger picture!
xxx
I’m glad someone legitimately understands what I mean about peaking too soon. Similarly to why elite runners only run 1 or maybe 2 marathons a year, you can’t run a half marathon at PR pace a month prior and expect the same results the next month. Maybe I’ll get lucky but I’m def not holding my breath by any means.
Probably safe to run inside because of the hit and runs! Not going to lie I would never do 10 miles on the treadmill, but I did just do 8 on the indoor track because I’m over the cold temps (in the winter I’ll run outside but not in the middle of April!)
I’m not really happy with our training right now, we are cutting a lot of workouts (biking and running) out and I hope that we will be alright for our 70.3. I guess time will tell!
Indoor track…ugh I’d rather run on the treadmill personally because at least I can watch TV. It’s kinda the same concept as swimming really because you just swim back and forth back and forth…
I agree with training being months and years of work. The people at the front of the pack did not just follow an 8 week plan they printed off of the internet- I would venture to say that 95% of them have been running a couple years, training hard that entire time, and are doing specific workouts. I do follow training plans like others, and I have peaked too early, but it happens. Last year, an XC coach I know actually apologized to his team because of their lower state times being so much better than their state times- because he said they peaked too early (it was nice of him to apologize, I’m not sure how much responsibility a coach should take for the team’s performance, but he certainly did). Mileage may vary my but… mileage ALWAYS varies in a 8-week couch to 5k, an 18 week marathon plan, or life.
I’m glad you’re feeling better after your two days off. Gotta do what ya gotta do, no use pushing through sometimes, may as well rest so you can kick butt in other workouts.
Exactly, no need to force myself into miserable runs because I ran when I had been sick.
I was more going along the lines of people often don’t look far enough into their future…will a 50 mile week really hurt me in the long run when I’ve been doing 70 mile weeks consistently…no two rest days or one rest day weekly never injured anyone.
You’ve made many smart decisions! Congrats on your first 20 miler btw!
Better a few days off than a month off, as always! My mom tried to train through a cold and then landed herself with bronchitis and legit only had energy to walk the dog 15 minutes a day for a month. Fail. But anyways, you’re right, Rome wasn’t built in a day….neither is your running fitness. I admit to formerly being obsessive about not taking days off but….well 1. look where it got me and 2. not taking rest days doesn’t mean your badass…it means you’re just too insecure in your training to allow yourself rest. ANYWAY, see this is why you are a role model for me! :-D. And I hear ya about peaking too early for races – when I ran track, I was trying to peak for the 10k at Open New Englands…and instead I peaked in a 10k 3 weeks earlier in a meet that didn’t matter. UGHHH not fair.
They way you describe taking days off is how the Academy of Dietetics describes the total diet approach. It is a collection over weeks and months not one day or even a single week. Life happens and gets in the way, we have to know how to move on with that!
Urgh yeah I peaked for my half when I did a stupid fast 12 mile run and it shattered me for the next week – and this was three weeks before. I was really angry with myself for just getting too tempted to ‘test my speed’. I love your mantra that running is a collection of runs rather than one single run, so true!
You’re being smart–we don’t need you hit! Prettty awesome mileage despite two days off. Give me some of your running mojo because I lack any inspiration for any running… =/
You;re going to rock Nike, I know it!
I have been afraid of peaking too soon for races for a long time. I actually was really nervous for it this past fall as I had some awesome halves on the way to my even more awesome Full. This time around I am afraid I peaked at the 30k, but we will see….training has been less than awesome this cycle, but there’s a few more weeks to go thank goodness.
Enjoying the race is definitely most important! And please dont run with hit and runs happening..frightening!
Nikki we should go to the race to cheer! Hollie and Brennan are running and it’s so close by!!
Love that comment about running being weeks and months, not two days! Great training though, and the 20 miler would have been lovely (I guess only a runner would say that). Sorry you were sick though :-(.
Something in your super-human training schedules always makes us feel a little more human – thanks for that.
Hold on, that sounded almost sarcastic. It wasn’t meant to! You have this wonderful way of being so human about it, and making it relatable (***dig up stoopid***).