This is a rough week to train. It's cold. And the people who insist there's no such thing as cold, just poor clothing choices, make it worse. I'll be kicking their asses this spring - perhaps literally.
Each week, my pace is slowing, yet I'm working harder. I'm now looking at running a 3:45 marathon... but that's 3:45 while wearing three layers of clothing, running into a strong wind and on a half inch of powdery snow or ice. What that translates to in good weather, I don't know.
Monday was supposed to be an easy 5 miles, but the temperature peaked at 9F and the windchill stayed sub-zero, so I made it my day off. Then Tuesday came, which was scheduled for a hard run, but I waited all day for it to hit 10 degrees (and sub-zero windchill) and headed out with a full stomach. I cannot eat and run - not a good thing in ultradistances - and the food went straight through me and I was dashing for my toilet at home after 3 miles.
That moved the hard run to today, which is 7x 1/2 mile at about 5K/8K effort, with 1/2 mile recoveries. Two weeks ago, I managed 3. Last week, I did 5. Seven this week should be easy (it's easier to go from 5 to 7 than from 3 to 5), except for the weather. I'm tempted to push it off to tomorrow, but tomorrow's supposed to be colder again, before a nice warming trend; bunching things toward the end of the week is a bad idea, as I have a long hard run planned for Saturday.
No, I won't be looking for a treadmill or an indoor track today. But I AM tempted to switch the workout to hill repeats, which I was planning on starting in two weeks anyway. Unfortunately, my training hills are exposed to the wind, just like my usual training route around a lake.
I need to just get through today and tomorrow. That determination will pay off come race time. That's the plan, anyway.
Added: Managed the 7x800's. Just barely.
Excalibur
3 days ago
3 comments:
In the long term, missing a week of scheduled hard running isn't a big deal, and it just might save you from injury and over training. I'm predicting you run a fast marathon this year!
Sounds like a step-back week now might be a good thing.
Running outdoors in all of the clothing and with the poor footing is harder then the same distance in more temperate weather - or at least that is what I told myself on my last 15 mile run that left me feeling like I had just finished an ultra (New Years Eve day was a bit chilly, took 3 miles before my right foot warmed completely and stopped hurting).
Thanks for posting this. I always feel like its just me. Of course, the cold (adjust for coastal NW version of cold) plays mind games with me, so I'm only doing shorter runs outside and longer ones on the treadmill. Which sucks in its own way.
You're a Rock Star.
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