weekly recap - week 8

Monday:

• Afternoon run, at an easy pace: 3 miles.  (8:50 min/mile) 
• BBG Workout - Legs & Cardio: Week 2

Tuesday:

• Rest day

Wednesday:

• Morning run, at an easy pace: 3 miles. (9:33min/mile)
• BBG Workout - Abs & Arms: Week 2

Thursday:

• Evening run, faster than tempo pace: 4 miles. (8:25min/mile)

Friday:

• Afternoon interval run, 5 x 800m: 6 miles. (8:45min/mile)

Saturday:

• BBG Workout - Full Body: Week 2
• Easy hike/walk: 3 miles.

Sunday:

• Early morning run at an easy pace: 4 miles. (9:49min/mile)
• Afternoon bike run, very cruisey: 8.18 miles.

Weekly mileage: 20 miles.

My calf was feeling sore on my Sunday run, so instead of a long run I decided to play it safe and  cut it short.

tough choices

To run or not to run.

I woke up to go on my long run.  I didn't feel like going.  But I went.

However, as soon as I started I felt a little niggling pain in my right calf.  It didn't really go away, and I decided to run for two miles and see how it felt.  After the two miles I stopped, stretched a little, and started running again.  It still felt a little sore, so I decided to head back home.

This was a tough decision.  But basically it comes down to if I want to get injured or not.  I think I'm training at too fast a pace, my body isn't ready for it yet.  I need to slow it down and not injure myself.  I want to keep going, I want to try my best, but I need to hold back a little.  I know a lot of people will push through the pain, it wasn't too bad and kind of subsided when I ran.  But if I stopped, then restarted the pain would start again.  I asked myself, who am I competing with?  The answer: Myself.  And I can't beat my old self if I get injured.

Sure, I wanted to hit 30 miles this week.  But I didn't run yesterday, because of the same little pain.  I am happy with my choice of not running.  I think I will take it easy this week, and then ramp it up again.  I haven't really had a cutback week yet, so I think it is what I needed.  I still have four weeks until my half marathon, so there is plenty of time to run!

My splits from this mornings four mile run:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	39:15.7	4.00	9:49
1	10:09.5	1.00	10:10
2	9:56.0	1.00	9:56
3	9:37.6	1.00	9:37
4	9:32.6	1.00	9:33

This run was still tough, my legs were a little heavy (plus that small pain).  I started out slower as I thought I might be running up to 12 miles.  I'm happy with it though.  Not all runs can be perfect.

5 x 800m

I did it!  I went out to run 5 x 800m.  I wanted to keep it at around 8:20min/mile for the 800 meter repeats.  However, the wind was at my back when I started, which lead me to a faster first 800.  I tried to keep the second slower.  Then it was pointless, I know myself.  I like to try to hit negative splits.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	52:29.3	6.00	8:45
1	13:40.4	1.50	9:08
2	3:57.7	0.50	7:56
3	2:23.4	0.25	9:34
4	3:54.0	0.50	7:48
5	2:22.0	0.25	9:28
6	3:54.8	0.50	7:50
7	2:22.9	0.25	9:32
8	3:53.9	0.50	7:48
9	2:23.9	0.25	9:36
10	3:49.8	0.50	7:40
11	2:37.1	0.25	10:28
12	7:09.5	0.75	9:33

So... I did go a little too fast.  But I felt good, except for the last 800 meter.  That one was tough.  I tried to push it at the end. 

I ran for a mile and a half for a warm up - this was mainly because I was trying to figure out the best way to get home with even mileage!  Three quarters of a mile to cool down.

I'm not sure what I will be doing tomorrow for my run.  It will be at least 4 miles.  If I do an easy run, it will be four miles, if I go for race pace, it will be four miles at that pace, plus a warm up and cool down.  I want to do my BBG workout too, because I didn't get it in today - last workout for week 2! Only 10 more weeks until perfect abs!