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Friday, February 5, 2016

January 24th-30th Training

Monday: 8 miles (6:38); 4.8 miles (7:20)

Tuesday: 9.7 miles with 8 miles at 5:41.  
Ran two of my 3.93ish mile loops with an extension to make it eight.  For the splits on each loop, I ran 5:41-5:3 for the first mile and then ran 5:50-5:36, 5:55-5:46 and 5:17-5:12.  Pace wasn't too bad on my legs but the last couple of miles became a little bit difficult, especially after the hills.  I can tell I'm at that awkward state where you lungs and legs are in two different fitness states and they don't work together too well when it comes to running harder; 4.2 miles (7:22)

Wednesday: 5.4 miles (7:14); 6 miles (7:26)

Thursday: 8.2 miles with 8x30s fast with 2:30 jog.  The initial plan was ten, but my six, my legs were dying.  I was pretty sore from the leg circuit Tuesday night, so my hamstrings didn't want work too well.  That just put too much work onto my quads, which turned to garbage.  I then tried to use my glutes and hamstrings again, but those gave out on the last one.  Finished at 4:23 average for the 30s portions.; 4.6 miles (7:13)

Friday: 6.8 miles (7:09); 3.4 miles (7:17)

Saturday: 3.2 miles (7:24); 6.3 miles with Zoo Run Run in 16:02. Goal was just to run as hard as I needed to win, which I did by about 20-30s.  Honestly, this was tougher than it should have been. The course is under 3 miles and probably around 2.9-2.95 miles but has a ton of zig-zags, so it's very hard to run quickly the second half.  But the first mile isn't too bad, turns wise, and I felt like crap on that. I was dying on the hill and running close to 5:20 pace for the first mile.  While I didn't give near a race effort, and really couldn't with the layout of the course, I could tell that I'm very out of shape.

Sunday: 18.6 miles (6:28). I flipped my normal 20 mile, two loop-type courses and skipped going to my house for a stop, which made it 18.6 miles.  The plan was to run sub 6;30 and I was running quickly, early.  The second part of the run was tough and I was struggling on the hills, since I had some fatigue going into it (normally it's easy when I'm fresh).  I was happy to get in the distance but I was pretty tired.

Week Total: 89.2 miles. Man, I thought for sure I hit 90.  I was happy to get in the volume and this is my longest week since Chicago.  I got in three quality type days, along with a long run, so it was a good week overall.  However, I can tell I'm still way out of shape, especially speed-wise.  I thought I would have made more progress by now, but it feels like I'm remaining stagnant, fitness-wise.  I need to get my iron checked again because I honestly wouldn't be surprised if it's still low (and at this point, I almost hope it is). I don't see how it would because I've really ramped up my dosage and have been taking it on an empty stomach, before my morning runs and sometimes do another dose right before bed.

Now, quite obviously, I'm not running in the Trials.  I absolutely hate missing it because I thought it would be a fun experience.  However, I don't view it the same as someone who qualified for Boston and then goes up to the marathon and enjoys the experience and celebrates the environment.  If I qualify for a race, I want to race.  That's what I enjoy.  If I ran in LA, I'd either DNF or run 2:25-2:30, have a miserable experience and then have jacked up legs for quite some time and have to restart my training again. There's no joy in that for me.

And I'm at the point where a race is just a race.  Sure, when you're freshly out of college, you get giddy for all of the big races and are so emotionally attached to the sport.  But it has more of a business feel to me.  Chicago feels no different than Tom King.  Sure the Trials is the best US marathon there has been in four years and pretty much everyone is racing it. And it would have been fun to shoot for a top 20 spot but I'm nowhere near being able to do that.  The only Olympic Team I would have a chance at making is the women's.

Honestly, I don't expect to regret missing.  Sometimes, I get bummed for a few seconds but I'm at the point where I'm winding down my running sometime in the next year or two.  I have a family, a job with non-ideal running hours, a K-2nd grade running club with over 80 crazy kids, an elementary cross country team and I just recently started a youth running club for the Middle Tennessee Area (the Music City Super Squad, but the website is still under progress).  All of that takes away from my training, but I think it's important to give back and I feel I can still run at a high level with all of that stuff taking place.  Maybe not 100%, but not far from it.

That being said, I would love to break 14:00 on the track this spring and 2:15 in the marathon this fall.  That's what is motivating me for now, so that's what I'm focused on. Running the Trials with a terrible performance and then sacrificing my spring racing season just doesn't make sense to me

2 comments:

  1. I would have enjoyed looking for you on NBC but I'm sure you know what is best for your goals.

    If you are interested, write a prediction post for the trials. I think it will be a fun race to watch. One the men's side Rupp is running in his debut and that should be very interesting. If Ritz starts running 2:08 pace and anyone goes with it we might see all sorts of developments in the last 5 miles. On the women's side I'm rooting for Deena to come on hard in the last 3 miles and crush the young gals dreams. Hard to see shalane and desi not being the top 2 (but not sure what order). 3rd woman might be a real fight. Kara Goucher looks like she has lost 15 lbs and is rumored to be ready to run near 2:25 pace. Not sure I believe it, but she does have talent and maybe there is one more great run in her.

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  2. Sorry the trials didn't pan out, Scott. You've been a bit unlucky with the timing of big races. Best of the luck as the rest of the season unfolds... if you stay smart and patient you will most likely run some great races this year!

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