There Goes 90
Finally the weeks seem to be going by quicker. When I first started this new program, beginning with the two week recovery period, the weeks droned on as I was anxious to start making progress toward high mileage training. Now it seems that the week just begins, then it is over. After an extremely sore start to the week, I was able to finish out the week with 93.1 miles. Here's the recap:
Monday 13.5 miles
Tues. 9.2 miles
Wed. 13.8 miles
Thu. 11 miles
Fri. 16.4 miles
Sat. 9 miles
Sun. 20.2 miles
Average pace 9:00. I was telling my friend Marc today, that the slow miles is what saves me and allows me to keep going. The typical run starts out with a shuffle and gradually increases to a steady pace until the halfway mark or slightly beyond. Then the pace quickens to a healthy yet injury free finish. Also, I have found it beneficial to stop and stretch at some point throughout the run. This has been loosening the calves and other tight muscles. The soreness evident in the beginning of the week entirely faded by the end. Sunday's long run was my fastest per mile of the week (8:44 pace which included a 4 minute tend-the-woodstove stop).
The problem with high mileage is I am now susceptible to tiny pulls doing normal activities. This evening for instance, I was locking up the bank and bent down to pick up my briefcase. Unfortunately, I tend to pack several years worth of reading in the briefcase so it isn't exactly light. Well, I swooped it up and then turned on my heel to give the door some assistance with closing with my foot. My groin muscle let me know (and is still whining) that that was the wrong way to close a door. I get other twitches and pains lugging wood up from the cellar, picking up the kids, or sliding out of the car in too cavalier a manner. I'm a walking tender spot.
Today's run went surprisingly well. 15 miles was on the schedule and it felt like a short run even though I was out there for 2:25:09 (including a 5 minute tend-the-woodstove stop). You can pretty much figure that my times all have embedded woodstove stops. The reason I say it was surprising is because while yesterday's long run went great, the recovery was a bear. After the run was over, it took all day to get back to normal. The legs ached and ached, I was feeling the effects of slight glycogen depletion / dehydration, and I was tired. Luckily, not much was on the agenda besides church (and if it lasted any more than an hour I would have fallen asleep) so I was able to rest out the day. So today I was curious about how it would go. There was tightness in the legs but no pain. Well I'll take that.
Now I am curious how tomorrow will go with my groin muscle giving me hassle. Par for the course. One problem down, one pops up. This is probably good as it accelerates the half-life of most problems. It's like curing your headache by jamming your finger in the car door. One pain masks the other. This very thing occurred on Friday which was the beginning of the cessation of most of my soreness. It rained dreadfully hard that morning and I got chafed rather severely from my wet clothes. Well, chafing causes an acute, surface pain similar to someone pinching you. Needless to say, my next run was focused on getting my mind past the acute pain of the chafing and all other problems faded into the background. When the chafing pain subsided the prior soreness failed to reappear. So be it.
Nevertheless, I gave myself the green light to proceed to 100 this week. This will be the final progression for the morning miles. I considered taking all the wonderful advice I received regarding "drop weeks" and such and still may do so. However, many of the creaks and groans have been the typical awakening of muscles being used beyond their normal capacities and thus are labeled "normal" aches and pains. Easing the pace to accommodate these issues has allowed me to carry on. I believe this is common according to Lydiard. The body will get fatigued and sore, but if it is pressed gently, the build up can continue. As Mike relayed from one of his friends (tongue in cheek), "Most injuries are 'under-use' injuries and thus cured by more running."
So far, the most enjoyable part of the build up has been the transformation of 15 miles from a short long run to a long short run. This morning I did a 6 mile loop and realized I only had 9 more miles to go. A weird form of relativity. The downside is I don't get warmed up and really relaxed until several miles into the run. Here's what's on tap:
Monday 15 miles (completed in 2:25:09)
Tuesday 10 miles (easy)
Wed. 15 miles (easy)
Thu 12 miles (easy)
Fri 18 miles (easy)
Sat 10 miles(easy)
Sun 22 miles (hopefully this one will be done -in part- with Stephanie and Mike running around Boyden's Lake in Perry.)
After this week, the build up ends for the morning and I begin re-introducing the one hour lunchtime run. Stay tuned...
Monday 13.5 miles
Tues. 9.2 miles
Wed. 13.8 miles
Thu. 11 miles
Fri. 16.4 miles
Sat. 9 miles
Sun. 20.2 miles
Average pace 9:00. I was telling my friend Marc today, that the slow miles is what saves me and allows me to keep going. The typical run starts out with a shuffle and gradually increases to a steady pace until the halfway mark or slightly beyond. Then the pace quickens to a healthy yet injury free finish. Also, I have found it beneficial to stop and stretch at some point throughout the run. This has been loosening the calves and other tight muscles. The soreness evident in the beginning of the week entirely faded by the end. Sunday's long run was my fastest per mile of the week (8:44 pace which included a 4 minute tend-the-woodstove stop).
The problem with high mileage is I am now susceptible to tiny pulls doing normal activities. This evening for instance, I was locking up the bank and bent down to pick up my briefcase. Unfortunately, I tend to pack several years worth of reading in the briefcase so it isn't exactly light. Well, I swooped it up and then turned on my heel to give the door some assistance with closing with my foot. My groin muscle let me know (and is still whining) that that was the wrong way to close a door. I get other twitches and pains lugging wood up from the cellar, picking up the kids, or sliding out of the car in too cavalier a manner. I'm a walking tender spot.
Today's run went surprisingly well. 15 miles was on the schedule and it felt like a short run even though I was out there for 2:25:09 (including a 5 minute tend-the-woodstove stop). You can pretty much figure that my times all have embedded woodstove stops. The reason I say it was surprising is because while yesterday's long run went great, the recovery was a bear. After the run was over, it took all day to get back to normal. The legs ached and ached, I was feeling the effects of slight glycogen depletion / dehydration, and I was tired. Luckily, not much was on the agenda besides church (and if it lasted any more than an hour I would have fallen asleep) so I was able to rest out the day. So today I was curious about how it would go. There was tightness in the legs but no pain. Well I'll take that.
Now I am curious how tomorrow will go with my groin muscle giving me hassle. Par for the course. One problem down, one pops up. This is probably good as it accelerates the half-life of most problems. It's like curing your headache by jamming your finger in the car door. One pain masks the other. This very thing occurred on Friday which was the beginning of the cessation of most of my soreness. It rained dreadfully hard that morning and I got chafed rather severely from my wet clothes. Well, chafing causes an acute, surface pain similar to someone pinching you. Needless to say, my next run was focused on getting my mind past the acute pain of the chafing and all other problems faded into the background. When the chafing pain subsided the prior soreness failed to reappear. So be it.
Nevertheless, I gave myself the green light to proceed to 100 this week. This will be the final progression for the morning miles. I considered taking all the wonderful advice I received regarding "drop weeks" and such and still may do so. However, many of the creaks and groans have been the typical awakening of muscles being used beyond their normal capacities and thus are labeled "normal" aches and pains. Easing the pace to accommodate these issues has allowed me to carry on. I believe this is common according to Lydiard. The body will get fatigued and sore, but if it is pressed gently, the build up can continue. As Mike relayed from one of his friends (tongue in cheek), "Most injuries are 'under-use' injuries and thus cured by more running."
So far, the most enjoyable part of the build up has been the transformation of 15 miles from a short long run to a long short run. This morning I did a 6 mile loop and realized I only had 9 more miles to go. A weird form of relativity. The downside is I don't get warmed up and really relaxed until several miles into the run. Here's what's on tap:
Monday 15 miles (completed in 2:25:09)
Tuesday 10 miles (easy)
Wed. 15 miles (easy)
Thu 12 miles (easy)
Fri 18 miles (easy)
Sat 10 miles(easy)
Sun 22 miles (hopefully this one will be done -in part- with Stephanie and Mike running around Boyden's Lake in Perry.)
After this week, the build up ends for the morning and I begin re-introducing the one hour lunchtime run. Stay tuned...
posted by Andrew at 7:15 PM
9 Comments:
Nice week. It is amazing how much mileage can be run if you just slow it down a bit.
Hopefully the stars will align again and we can get together ;-) I'm planning on it but there are various conspiracies working against me including a Sat night Xmas party, church commitments and possible nor-easter headed our way. But we will overcome!!
Glad to hear you're running SLOW miles if I am to run with you on Sunday... Hey, maybe we'll see a bear! I'm trying to baby my Achilles as much as possible, refusing to take time off(mistake??). I start "officially" training for Boston on Monday.
Great job on the mileage. I think that's the same distance I ran for a whole month.
I don't even drive that far in a week...kidding! Amazing, nice work there.
Awesome mileage!
If you keep that mileage up then I guess you will need to buy a new pair of shoes every month!
Seeley, you're out of control! We've been watching your progress on running-journal.com and are amazed by how long you're out there running. I admire your commitment!
From: Woody Favinger and the Washington State mens cross-country team.
Woody, thanks for stopping by. I ran for Babson in Mass. 15 years ago and wished I did then what I am doing now. Oh well, you can't turn back the clock but you can have fun with the future. This is my first go at sustained high mileage. Your team's #'s look great on Running-Journal.com. I bet you guys are fast! Start a blog and let the whole world follow you. Stop in and say 'hi' anytime.
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