Goofing off with Jordan
As I reflected on the last week to my coach/training partner, Jordan I had the “Cruel Slap in the Face Realization!” I have stated I am not a mountain runner, and that finding elevation here is tough. Over the course of a 111 mile week, I ran 15,395 feet of elevation…in one WEEK! I realize in less than a month I have to run that and more in 56 miles..in one DAY! Cue the moment of panic!
The previous 5 days I took quite easy, running many of Jordan’s taper runs with him, or joining on some group runs I haven’t joined while training lately.
What follows 5 days of easy slow/recovery miles? My final two big weeks before taper, of course!
The week began with a Sunday run. I have several friends who are running Boston tomorrow (GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!) So I started with them in the morning running about 9 miles on fire roads, their taper run ended, and I hopped onto single track and decided to aim for 20 miles in 3 hours. I dropped Emmitt off before I hit the single track, and set off to try to not repeat any trails I had previously run. This is a little game I play with myself to keep me from getting too bored during long runs. There are really only 20ish miles of single track in the forest, however, there are some trails that you can hit if you cut through short neighborhoods. So I did that. I ended up 3:02 for my 20 miles, and in the middle of the high school XC course, which gave me an idea; eccentric stadium squat jumps. Their stadium isn’t very big, so I did 3 sets of 15 of these. Then I decided it was too nice and sunny to quit there, why not run 25 miles. So I did, by the time I neared my house I was so close to the marathon distance, so I figured..why the heck not? Marathon Sunday= 26.2 miles of trail
Emmitt the ultra dog cools off after a hot afternoon run.
Monday I joined Jordan for another taper run. We ran easy and all on fire roads. Monday= 14 miles
Tuesday I was off to Occoneechee for hill repeats. Occoneechee is the highest point with in a 20 minute driving distance, and has a nice 1/2 mile gravel road up one side, and a steep, technical single track decent on the back side, with a 2.7 mile loop that circles around the base. I have not done this workout in several months so I was quite happy that it took 3:29, not the 4 hours I thought it would! Occoneechee repeats= 20 miles
Wednesday was an easy day finally. My dad had been up in Boston the last two weeks and was home, so I called him up and we went out for a nice easy 6 mile shake out run in the rain. Wednesday=7
Thursday it was off to the treadmill..sigh. Its always mentally hard for me to get out to the gym for this workout, though it really is a good workout and once I get started since its a repeat workout it goes by quickly. I hiked 3.5 miles at 15% then ran 1/4 mile repeats at 10% followed by 1/4 mile rest at 3% (all at the same pace) Finally I ended with 2 1/2 mile repeats with a 1/4 mile rest, for a total of 11 miles. After that I realized the dog needed to go out so I ran him another 7 miles when I got home. Thursday=18 miles.
Dewy morning run after the thunder storms that rolled through.
Friday I woke to super tight calf muscles from being on a treadmill at an incline for 3 hours, so I opted to stretch and roll. The tightness reminded me of when I had achillies tendonosis, so I decided to play it smart and not run. Friday=off day.
Nate finishing up his 30 mile training run at Occoneechee.
Saturday was the Tarheel 10 mile race. DK was signed up to run, its one of the few races he runs every year. As usual I helped out with one of the pacing groups. I paced the 8:30 group this year, it was my 3rd year pacing. I ran it 4 years ago in 69 minutes, but I am not a road runner so I have happily paced for my friends at Proaxis ever since. After the 10 miler I drove back out to Occoneechee and joined Nate and Ben for some loops and hill repeats. I finished out the week with another marathon there. Sunday= 26.2
So back to the panic, can you tell I crammed a bit from my week above? I was a bit like that in school too, let hope that like college, I also do my best work when I cram my training? ) I am not quite sure what I have gotten myself into. My only solace is that I won’t be out there alone, I will have my other Cruel Jewel buddies suffering along with me. (And I also don’t feel nearly as bad as I thought I would after this week.)
- Sunday; 26.2 miles in the CNF with eccentric squat jumps and core work after
- Monday; 14 easy miles with Jordan
- Tuesday; 20 miles of hill repeats at Occoneechee
- Wednesday; 7 easy miles with dad and Emmitt on the roads
- Thursday; 18 miles. 3.5 @ 15%, 5.5 of 1/4 mile repeats at 10%/3% 2 miles of 1/2 mile repeats %10% 7 road miles with Emmitt
- Friday; off, yoga
- Saturday; 10 miles of pacing the 8:30 group at the Tarheel 10 mile race. 16.2 miles of Occoneechee repeats and loops with Ben and Nate
- Total climbed; 15,369
- Total miles; 111.4
Run on friends!!
Trail Wisp(erings) 