Training weeks 2 & 3

Training Week:  2

Jan 13 - Jan 19

1/13/14

Mon-AM: 1500m Swim

Hit the pool this morning.  1500m of easy swimming with two 5 min efforts and 10 x 50 on 1:00.  Nothing special, just get back easy.  Looking forward to some passes across Lake Gaston this summer. 

PM: 5mi trail run

Parked at the Nickel Bridge and headed down the north side trail.  Went to the last section before the big mud puddles toward the end and turned around.  Felt good being on the trails.  Thought I was running fast, but the watch told me otherwise.  Humbled. 

1/14/14

Tues-AM: 4mi road

Rain came down hard this morning.  Ran 4 miles smooth and easy, holding back most of the time.  Didn't look at the watch at all until I was finished and pleased to see I was 8:45 pace, right on the dot.  Exactly where I want to be for the first 50 of the Keys 100

PM: 6.5 mi trail

With mud all over the trails, I knew this too would be an easy stroll through the woods.  Parked at the Nickel bridge and went down buttermilk trail to forest hill park loop.  Love being on these trails.  My pace was very slow, but I wanted it that way.  Really need to practice patience.  

1/15/14

Wed-AM: 1500m Swim

Continuing the theme of easy swimming, I did 3 x 300s swim, pull, paddles with 6 x 50s on 1:15 with hard effort.  Easy warm up and cool down after.  Stroke felt better, but sloppy toward the end on the workout.  To be expected.  

PM: REST 

1/16/14

Thurs-AM: 5.5mi group run

Jimmy and Capt met me at the house for another early morning run.  Cold.  Went down to the bridge and over to Maymount and back around the lake.  All road with about .5 on the trail.  Legs felt good after yesterdays rest.  

PM-  Went skiing with Jac

AMAZING!!  love skiing.  Crashed a few times.  I like to go fast and not so great at stopping.  So much fun with Jaclyn and Melissa. 

1/17/14

Fri-AM: 5.3mi road

Really wanted to ease up today and run smooth with little effort.  Didn't look at the pace at all. Went down Monument to Libbie and back Patterson.  When I was done with the run I was surprised that my pace was 8:20.  Felt much slower. 

PM: 5.3mi road

Ran the same run from this morning.  Again, everything easy.  Pace was a little slower than this morning but the whole run was done with little effort. 

1/18/14

Sat-AM: 2.1mi

Did an easy 2.1 miles with Jaclyn today for Meg's Miles.  Meg was a local woman killed by a drunk driver out for her morning run this week.  Very sad.  Love these runs with Jac as they help to flush out all the soreness and lactate in the legs.  

PM: 20 min Row

Did a row session today.  Easy 20 mins with one 500m hard effort.  Avg 1:52 for the hard and 2:12 for the whole time.  Really enjoy having the rower in the basement.  

1/19/14

Sun-PM: 12.8mi Trail/road

Ran down to the trails and out to the 14th street bridge towards the Mayan ruins.  From there, headed west on buttermilk back to the nickel bridge and then back home.  Felt ok.  Not great.  A lot colder than I thought, especially with the wind.  Good to get out for a long one though.  

Totals - 46.7 - 7:11

Great second week.  Mixed it up with some longer stuff and back to back runs.  First long run was good.  looking forward to get over 20 miles and doing it easily.  Fitness is coming back though.  This next week is going to the last of three weeks training and then a rest week, so need to stay focused.  

Training Week:  3

Jan 20 - Jan 26

1/20/14

Mon-AM: Rest

Travel to Blue Bell, PA.  All day work

1/21/14

Tues-AM:  4mi Treadmill

Early miles on the treadmill before work.  Very easy running

1/22/14

Wed-AM: 6 mi Treadmill

More easy running on the treadmill before work.  Its 5 degrees outside anyway, so I wouldn't be going outside even if I could.  Traveling back home today. A lot of snow everywhere.  Looking forward to getting on the snow packed trails

1/23/14

Thurs-PM: 10.3 mi James River trail loop

Leaving from the house, its an easy 10 miles down to the river trails and back.  I do this loop many times, and still love it.  Has climbs, rolling hills, trail, road, and flat sections.  I didn't move real fast today, as the snow and ice was a challenge to navigate.  Legs feel like I'm getting back in great shape.  

1/24/14

Fri-PM:  4mi Trail

Easy 4 miles today.  Legs felt great.  A lot of quickness, giving me the feeling like fitness is really coming back to me.  Still very cold out here, so lots of snow and ice everywhere.  

1/25/14

Sat-AM: 20.8mi Trail/road

Jimmy and I set out from the house and headed down to the trails with water, gels, and gear in tow.  We did two big loops of the trails and then headed back up to the house.  We both felt like it was a hard grind the whole day.  Def didn't feel like I did yesterday.  Our average pace was slow, but with all the ice and snow, along with feel bad, it was actually a great mental and physical training day.  

1/26/14

Sun-AM: Recovery-Rest

Decided to take the day off.  I could run, but I have a flight this afternoon and wanted to see Jaclyn (as I will be gone for a week).  

Totals - 45.3mi    7:16

Great week, especially with all the travel and weather.  Really feel like I'm ready for the next round of training.  Have a rest week coming up, and will mostly just get 30 min treadmill runs in with only easy running.  I have 60-65-70 mile weeks coming up, so I want to be fully recovered for these.