Sunday, July 26, 2009

Peak Week

Today's run ended a great week of training. After this morning's long run with Mike and Jon, I finished out the week with 114.28 miles. The schedule drops the time (and therefore the mileage) next week and since there are only two training weeks left before the next scheduled cutback, I believe this will be the peak until possibly late August.

I met up with Mike and Jon at the usual corner at 6:30 after having run an hour by myself. My schedule called for 3hrs and Mike's called for 15 miles. So I added my extra portion ahead of time. In the end, the run turned into quite an over-time run as I ran for 3hrs 19mins. A real skeletal workout - particularly for the feet. Icing and hot soaks are in store. In fact, I'm icing as I type this.

A great run with the guys. Jon is recently returned from Greece and he had lots of stories to share. Mike was his crazy self as usual. Especially when he roared up in his Honda with Elvis Pressley blasting from the stereo. I was about to make a comment when just then Jon came barreling up in his beat up Jeep like he was escaping the constabulary on a some Greek mountain road. He careened up, one light out, and spun a U-turn (his mode of parking). He got out of the truck sporting a new hole in his knee from a recent fall. The swelling had just gone down so he (naturally) was up for 15 miles.

We did the loop around Boyden without mishap. Of note was Mike noticing the Leland Cemetery for the first time even though we've run this loop for years. He then proceeded to rip off his shirt and start a conversation about nipples. These runs are never dull.

With my lonesome 6.6 and the 15.3 with Mike & Jon, I posted 21.9 for the day. Average pace was around 9:06.

Last week I ran three recovery runs, one 20 miler with a fast finish, one speed session, two aerobic runs (15 miles / 20 miles), and one long run. A good full week of training. One of the most pleasant results of the training so far has been conquering the 20 mile psychological barrier. By virtue of time and pace, more of my workouts are extending beyond 20 miles. Of the past 20 training days, seven have been greater than 20 miles.

I created my training plan as a 'time plan' to ensure recovery running. It has also had the effect of increasing my mileage and as I get into shape. So far the percentages of workouts look like this:

Aerobic workouts (easy running): 27%
Recovery workouts (short/slow): 32%
Long runs (> 2hrs 45mins): 18%
Tempo/hills/speed workouts: 23%

From a mileage perspective:

Aerobic miles: 33%
Long run miles: 31%
Recovery miles: 19%
Tempo/speed: 17% (Most of the speed & hill miles are easy but they are included here)

These percentages are since the Eastport 7 mile race but a quick check since the Cobscook 10k shows very similar percentages. The change that I envision will be that the Tempo/Speed mileage as a percentage of total miles will increase as my overall mileage actually decreases between the upcoming Blueberry 5 miler and the September race (which is to be determined). I am hoping to become more specific in my training during that period which I think will neccesitate a greater recovery regimen. That's my guess anyway.

And finally, Mike brought the remains of his birthday cake for snack time afterward and I brought brownies left over from last night's dinner party. A good reward for hard work!

5 Comments:

Blogger Bill Carter said...

Amazing!! Your miles are out of this world. You certainly deserve a cutback for a while.

7/26/2009 6:40 PM  
Blogger Love2Run said...

Great run Andrew, enjoy some well earned recovery as you get ready for the Blueberry run. Never a dull moment when we get together!

7/26/2009 6:57 PM  
Blogger Lindsay said...

sounds like quite the entertaining run; a good change of pace from the norm every now and then.

thanks for sharing a little insight to your training 'plan'. you've been doing a ton of 20-milers lately it seems. always sounds unreal to me!

cake and brownies...excellent post run recovery food :)

7/26/2009 9:11 PM  
Blogger Ewen said...

Thanks for sparing us the jokes Andrew ;)

That 114.2 miles is no joke though. Serious mileage!

7/27/2009 4:44 AM  
Blogger Thomas said...

And I had a manky old banana that Niamh had left over from the train journey after my run today. There is no justice in the world!

I'm sure you are familiar with the theory that your true marathon pace is equal the fastest 26 miles you run in your training week. It's the one rule I try to keep in mind in my present training.

7/27/2009 5:04 AM  

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