This week’s training…

A day late, but not a workout short, here’s this week’s plan :

Monday : 7mi recovery run.

Tuesday : 8.5mi run, strength training

Wednesday : 1st run- 400m repeats, w/warm-up & cool down (if the track is open, hoping), run totaling about 6mi.  2nd run- easy 4mi recovery run.

Thursday : 7mi run, strength training, yoga

Friday : Tempo run, w/warm up & cool down totaling 6 or 7mi, strength training.

Saturday : 4mi or off from running, yoga.

Sunday : 12mi long run, yoga.

I’m feeling frustrated because I’m really having a difficult time fitting everything in right now, especially because the only track (ie: only safe, flat place to run splits) is constantly being used by the neighbouring lycée. It doesn’t seem to be lit in the morning – I would be willing to wake up at crazy hours of the morning to get my speed work fix, but I can’t run there in the early morning or evening because the route is too dark/dangerous/not lit.  These are the frustrations of chosing a rural lifestyle I suppose.

The other frustration is fitting yoga in…still working on that one!

See you tomorrow for Monday – Wednesday’s workouts!

Weekly Totals for Jan. 10 – Jan. 16

I only got two strength sessions in this week : on Monday and on Friday, both just after my runs.  So, 2 45min strength & abs sessions for the week.

Tuesday I did manage to get in a 35 minute-ashtanga session in.  So good.  I need to figure out how to do this more often.  Seriously.  I miss my daily practice so much…

Monday : 6.8mi/11km

Tuesday : 8.7mi/14km

Wednesday : 4mi/6.4km, puis 5mi/8km

Thursday : icky-sicky

Friday : 7.4mi/12km

Saturday : 4mi/6.4km

Sunday : 10mi/16km

Total distance : 73.8km/45.8mi

This has been a week of mild frustration concerning my workouts.  I had some schedule conflicts (so only 1 second run), and then on Thursday I just didn’t feel good, so sticking to the plan didn’t happen, needless to say.

I’m not sure what the deal was – I think a stomach bug – I was freezing, wrapped up in blankets in bed and my tummy hurt.  My stomach was still messed up on Friday, but I felt fine again so  I just didn’t run too far from available public bathrooms!

It was a pretty good week, considering that Thursday I did nothing at all I think.  I also know that once we get a little more daylight I’ll have an easier time fitting those extra runs in.

Why no 10mi are ever the same : the long run

Distance : 10mi/16km

Time : 1h39min

Terrain : steep hills

Today’s run was supposed to be a lovely little 13mi/21km, and I even thought I’d add a bit of distance at the end going to 14mi/22.5km.

Or not.

I’ve been growing tired of my regular run circuits, and monotony really is my greatest enemy, so I thought I’d take a different route today, you know, to spice things up.

Spice?  How about extra-hot-burn-your-lips?

If I were more html-savvy, I’d show you the graph I made over at MapMyRun showing the elevation and hill grades…let’s just say that after the first 1/2mi my calves were cramping up.  Seriously.  Just before the 2mi mark I had to walk the remaining 100m of a hill that  just freaking killed me.

From that point there were lots of really high hills (often lasting 800m or so) and then descents, and on and on, and by the end of it my calves and adductors had been ground into hamburger.

My original plan had been to stop at home after the “new” 10mi loop, grab more water, then head out for a lovely little wrap-up to finish off the run, but that just didn’t happen.  I could have done it.  Totally.  No problem.  But at what cost?  The fatigue was there, and  how many times have you or I or anyone ever pushed just a little too hard in the name of proving something to themselves, only to end up with a stupid fatigue-induced injury?  Uh-huh.

I was already thinking of this coming week’s runs, tomorrow’s run even, and didn’t think throwing an extra couple of miles on today was worth messing up my runs next week.

Runs like today are such painful little reminder-cum-reality checks.  It’s easy to feel over-confident when you grow accustomed to something : for me, an average long-run of 13mi or so has become pretty easy, and the thought of running 10mi is frankly no big deal.  Ahem.  Today’s run had me in a full sweat and exhausted after only 25mins, which brought me back to reality.

Because not all 10mi runs are created equally.

Monday 10/1

A slower-than planned run (below 0°c and I just don’t function well), still a solid 6.8mi/11km run.  I’d planned to do a little less, but ended up taking a detour.

Solid strength training & Abs session : about 45 minutes.  I only give myself about 30 seconds or less between sets, so it really keeps my HR stoked after my run (since I just do some light stretches and change into some dry clothes after my run, then grab the dumb bells!).  My abs have been so sore it’s been funny – I haven’t had sore abs in forever, so it’s a great feeling.  I wonder which exercise I did that worked them just right…

This Week’s Training

Here’s a look at what I’m planning on doing this week :

Monday : 6mi/9.65km run, strength training & 30 minutes yoga

Tuesday : 8mi/12.9km run a.m., 4mi/6.4km run p.m.

Wednesday : 7mi/11km run, strength training

Thursday : 8mi/12.9km run, 30 minutes yoga

Friday : 7mi/11km run a.m., strength training, 3mi/4.8km run p.m.

Saturday : possible 4mi/6.4km run or off day

Sunday : Long run – 13mi/21km

 

 

Weekly Totals : January 3 – 9

I had three great strength & abs training sessions last week : Tuesday, Thursday & Saturday.  Each time it’s 6 abs exercises, 3xs through, then 12 strength exercises, 3xs through, changing the abs exercises each session.  I would like to perform my strength sessions at the end of the afternoon/early evening, just to re-stoak the metabolism, but I’ve been consistently doing them right after my runs as this seems to be the only way to be sure they get done.

Total Strength Training Time : 2hrs35mins

 

I punked out of my long run on Sunday as it was my birthday and M. Fish had various things planned and it was easier just to go with the flow and not try to fight against the day – I even got an 1.5hr nap out of the deal! Because I had 14mi/22.5km run that didn’t happen Sunday, my over-all distance is less…oh well.

Total Miles : 40.5 (65km)

I’m really missing speedwork, and know that I need to get some consistent weekly distances (meaning, maintaining at about 60mi/97km) and hold for at least 3 weeks to be sure I don’t injure myself.  Then I can bring back the speed, because if I try to do both I know I’m setting myself up for an injury.

6/1 Run & Strength Training

A relatively easy 8.5mi/13.67km run, but through the pouring rain for most of the time.  I felt great, but about 15 meters from home my left soleus cramped up suddenly.  The pain was gone as quickly as it came, but it spooked me into cancelling my second run this afternoon.  I’m frustrated, but need to take heed – it was only to be 4mi/6.5km anyway, so I can make it up tomorrow in theory.

 

Circuit training session just after run- 6 abs exercises, 3xs through, then 12 strength exercises, 3xs through.

5/1 Wednesday

Easy 7.5mi/12km run.  Feeling yesterday’s strength training, which is a good thing, but decided to keep it mellow today and not run the planned 30sec repeats.

Monday 3/1 & Tuesday 4/1

I know I have a few weeks of back-posting to get caught up on, but for now, here’s what this week has been so far :

Monday 3/1/2011

Easy 6mi/9.7km run

I felt great, but was surprised by the cold (1°c) and probably should have come home to change, but didn’t.  Enjoyed the beautiful sunshine.

Tuesday 4/1/11

Easy 8mi/12.8km run with Monsieur A., who I will blog about more very soon.  We gabbed the entire time, so definitely an easy run.  Still very cold, I think only about 4°c.

Circuit training session just after run- 6 abs exercises, 3xs through, then 12 strength exercises, 3xs through.  Felt so good to get my first strength session in after nearly 2 weeks of only running.

Recovery Run & Strength Training

Workout : recovery run after yesterday’s long run

Distance : 6mi/9.65km

Pace : Not sure since I’m still running sans my Polar, but according to my cell phone I ran about an 1h03min, so that’s putting me at about a 10:30mi or 6:30km per minute pace – about what I’m looking for recovery-wise.

Weather : Was thrown off by the heat. Usually early-morning runner, I dress for chilly temps, but with school holidays my run was postponed to a sunny and warm afternoon.  I was very overdressed and though I shed a layer, was still over-heated.  Don’t get me wrong, the heat is great, I just need to pay more attention to the weather!

Feeling : Felt a little tired, actually, but strong.  I’m not a fan of running in the early afternoon, I always feel a drag, but it was good as it kept me from going too quickly.

Workout : Circuit training – 6 abs exercises, 3x, then 12 over-all strength exercises, 3x.

Feeling : Good/normal. I change-up the exercises pretty regularly, but feel like I need a new challenge.  May switch things around again soon, maybe to a strength training DVD, just to keep from getting board.