Weeks 45, 46: Bad week, good week

Week ending April 7

Mon 4/1 4 miles on Cottonwood

Tue 4/2  2 miles

Wed 4/3 4 miles, including 2 miles barefoot

Bristol never begs off a run
because it's raining.

Thu 4/4 5 1/2 miles at Croft. In the rain and cold--the fun was getting in it. Bristol is always game. We ran an out and back on a lightly used trail to avoid what would no doubt be deep puddles on horse trails. Because it was shorter than usual, I decided to get after it a little on the return. Ran back about 2 minutes faster.

from Dairy Ridge: New Edition out and back

Fri 4/5 3 miles

Sat 4/6 6 miles at Croft. Set off for 20, but felt terrible. Turning back early felt like a real defeat. Feeling down, I took it out on myself and those around me. I shouldn't do that. I've learned to trust my spouse, to not see--more, to not look for--an angle, to be honest in all things, and to trust in the same in return. Leftover from the divorce, the mistrust creeps in occasionally, and five weeks before the most amazing endurance event I've ever done seems like a case study in pre-performance stress.  

from Dairy Ridge: out and back on the Palmetto Trail.

Sun 4/7  12 miles at Croft. Not a whole lot better, but at least I ran something longer. Also got that much needed perspective: this week is not a target week. Last week’s Bench run and next week’s laps at Croft are.

from Dairy Ridge: Palmetto to TCs to the little lake trail to Lake Johnson Connector to Hensington to Palmetto

I’m not always one to get manic about my training. I know a whole pile of runners who publicly or privately bemoan their general unworthiness when a run or two doesn’t go right. I feel certain everyone who runs does so occasionally, and for me, it’s usually another run that cures my ills. In this case, not a great run, but great lessons.

Total: 36 1/2 in 7 runs 


Week ending April 14, 2013

Mon 4/8  2 miles

Tue 4/9 8 miles at Croft. I felt pretty tired, but just plugged along.

from Dairy Ridge: Palmetto to Lake Johnson Connector all the way around to Palmetto

Wed 4/10 3 miles

Thu 4/11 4 miles, including 2 miles barefoot

Fri 4/12  2 miles

Sat 4/13  30 miles at Croft (5:26). I did three slightly different loops at Southside, two at 11 1/2 or so miles, one at 7 or so miles. I never felt great, and decided to walk all the major uphills (I ran a few of them throughout), but alone except for Bristol, I just kept going. This was good for my head for sure, but I’ll still have 20 more to go at Ice Age. My feet were tired, I was tired. I’ll rely to a certain extent on the excitement of the race, with lots of participants and spectators, and on the consistent aid. 

Bristol's recovery.

My recovery.

from Southside: 1st lap: Southside Loop to High and Dry to Southside to Rock Creek to Lizard to Outlaw to Southside.
2nd lap: Opposite direction on Southside to Outlaw to Lizard to Southside to High and Dry to Southside to Fern Gully to Centerline.
3rd lap: Southside to Rock Creek to Centerline

Sun 4/14 2 miles. I feel like I could have run more, but I probably wouldn’t have been very happy.

Total: 51 miles in 7 runs

I’ve read a couple of articles lately (Ian Torrence and Jason Sullivan), both confirming that my training is a least adequate to get through the mileage. I’ve done four runs between 5:18 (the Dump) and 6:02 (the Bench I). I’ve been consistent with the mid-week medium run at a harder pace, and this week marks 28 straight running days with 27 to go until race day. I've not done long back-to-backs as such, but I have done some shorter ones. I’ll be in the “I’ve-never-run-this-far-before” place for such a long time; both articles mentioned the mental part, trying to stay in the now and all. Christy says, “You just need to get over your head.”