The Foundation is Complete

I am through 8 weeks of high mileage and base building, so now I will turn my attention to maintaining that mileage base while I adding some more tempo and speed work outs. August and September will be filled with specialty work outs and racing. As of right now I have a half marathon scheduled for August, a 5k, 10k, 8k and 25k are on the docket for September. Most of my Tuesday runs will be very fast intervals, replacing the longer tempo and progression runs that I have been doing. I am looking forward to this next phase. My fitness level is high and I remain injury and niggle free. Last week's calf issue was much ado about nothing; needless to say I remain very positive I raced twice this week. Thursday night was the Rice Street Mile, where I ran a 5:27, which was over 12 seconds faster than last year. I went out a little fast, logging the first quarter mile at a 5:15 pace, but I settled into a more comfortable pace in the middle leaving enough for a good kick at the end. Saturday was the Run for Blood 5k. I was a little frustrated with the organization, but I did manage an 18:12, good enough for an AG win and a overall finish of 10th. Happy Running!

Okay, So Why am I Doing This?

It happens every training cycle, a day or two of exhaustion and the questioning of my sanity.  I enjoy running the vast majority of the time, but with the high miles, warm temps and stifling humidity, you can get a little overwhelmed.  That happened this week on Friday.  I was in the middle of a near-90 mile week and had just completed a 14 mile run that morning.  My right calf was very sore, and I was totally wiped out the rest of the day.  I left work a little early and "napped" from about 3:30 to 7:15.  I had some dinner and was back to bed about 10 and slept until 6:30.  Now that is a lot of sleep, but that and some iron supplement had me functional again for most of Saturday and also for my 21 miles Sunday morning.  Thankfully these mental and physical setbacks are short-lived.  I am happy to report that the calf pain was gone for today's run and even though I didn't run fast, I did manage a very consistent pace from beginning to end, which considering the conditions was a victory.

It also helped that I did a little gear shopping on Saturday.  I had a gift card burning a hole in my pocket, so what better way to pick myself up than with a canary yellow singlet and matching yellow and gray Nike Pegasus.  I'm such a slave to fashion!  Sounds silly, but the new colors seemed to help today!

Lastly, I have some racing to look forward to this week.  I haven't raced since the end of May, so that can be another reason my running my have been getting a bit stale.  Thursday I'm racing the Rice Street Mile, where I hope to break 5:35 and Saturday is the Run for Blood 5K where I am shooting for a 17:59.  Both are a long shot as I will be doing them on tired legs, but then on the flip side, my fitness has never been better.  I just need to be careful and not injure myself. 

Another big mileage week coming up, where I may set a mileage PR of 95 miles.  If the calf and Achilles show any signs of pain I will back off, but that is what is currently on the schedule.  It sounds like we may get a slight break in the weather department, so that will be a welcome relief.

Happy Running!

Rick

Birthdays, Fish Sauce, Deck Fires and Oh, some Running

It was eventful week-end in the Larsen household.  My baby girl turned 17 on Saturday.  I know it sounds terribly cliche, but how did this happen?  It certainly takes place in a blink of an eye.  She is wonderful young lady and I couldn't ask for a better daughter.  Malena is kind, compassionate, smart, funny and a little bit feisty. (Okay, a lot feisty!)  She spent the day with friends getting manicures/pedicures, lunch, shopping etc and we celebrated her birthday on Saturday night, nothing elaborate, just burgers on the grill, movie night (The Gray) followed by cake and presents. 

After presents, we all started to notice a strange smell in the kitchen.  It took us a few minutes, but finally realized that the bottle of fish sauce I had in the fridge and been knocked over and was leaking all over the kitchen floor.  For those of you not familiar with fish sauce, yes it smells that bad!  As we were cleaning this up my daughter says, "I mean really, who keeps fish sauce in their house anyway?" while glaring at me.  Hey I didn't hear her complaining when she was enjoying my delicious spicy curry chicken with green beans, which always contains a generous portion of the magical fish sauce.  Of course I never announce that this is a key ingredient, but I can tell you she would notice if I didn't use it. 

So, after getting the fish sauce smell out of the house,  I turn in for the night about 11:00 only to wake up at 2:30 smelling smoke and noticing some flickering lights outside the bedroom window.  I look out the window and the deck is on fire!  Holy crap! I throw on some shorts and grab the garden house and begin doing my best fireman impression.  Somehow the grill got knocked over and obviously the coals were still hot and we ALMOST had a huge catastrophe.  I hosed down everything pretty good and tried to go back to sleep, but it was not meant to be.  It is hard to sleep when your heart is beating a million miles an hour!

Oh, by the way I did make it out for a run , successfully completing week 7, all in one piece.  It was a pretty easy week, but nothing is easy when it gets this warm and muggy.  Here is to a less eventful week.  It going to be a challenging one from a running perspective, so I don't need any more fish sauce catastrophes or fire alarms!

Happy Running

Recovery Week? I'll Take It!

I was glancing ahead in my training log and lo and behold, next week is a recovery week!  I thought I had one more "build week" in front of me, but I'm not going to argue with "the plan."  This week, with the extreme temps and dew points really zapped me.  I completed all the work-outs and hit 80 miles for the first time this year, but it tweren't easy.  It got so bad weather-wise, that Saturday, when it was in the mid-80's, it felt like a cool crisp, fall day!  Because of the weather, I bagged the Excelsior Firecracker 10K (which also because of the weather was changed to a 5K) and my I ran 12 miles very, very, very slow.  I was a sweat-soaked mess at the end, but to go any faster would have been really, really stupid.  I know some other 4th of July races wee shortened as well, the Red, White and Boom Half was changed to a 5-miler and we did not go to fireworks either night. (We usually go to fireworks on July 3rd and 4th)

Well, I'm keeping this entry short, I need to get my nap in and enjoy the cut back week, because week #6 looks a little something like this:

Monday AM - 6 miles easy

Monday PM - 5 miles easy and conditioning

Tuesday - 11 miles with 5 at 6:30 pace

Wednesday AM - 1 miles GA

Wednesday PM - 7 miles easy
Thursday - 7 miles recovery
Friday - 13 miles GA
Saturday - 8 miles with 10 x 100 m strides
Sunday - 21 miles GA

Total - 90 miles - I still plan on completing a 100-mile week this cycle, probably around week 14 or 15.

I think I'll need two naps!

Happy Running!
Rick

One Mesocycle Down and Four To Go!

I have completed my first 4 weeks of training, Mesocycle I, weeks 1 - 4.  Other than feeling a little beat up last week, I think round one was a rousing success.  I came a little shy of hitting 80 miles for the week, but did get in my first 20-miler of the cycle.  I ran it this morning at 6:00 when it was already mid-70's and rising dew points, so needless to say I spent the majority of the run in 1st gear.  I did open it up a bit from miles 14 to 20 and managed to be in the medium-fast range of my GA runs or about 7:45 pace.  I like where my endurance level is right now; this 20 mile run, even in the heat felt relatively easy.  Now, as I enter Mesoccyle II I can build on this foundation and start throwing some more lactate threshold runs.  Should be interesting considering the forecast.  97 temps and dew points of 74 do not make for successful tempo and LT runs.  I may need to take advantage of the treadmill again this week.  Hey, as long as you take it easy, this heat training can be a good thing.  I am feeling like I am right where I should be to get to my sub 3!

So, what else does Mesocycle #2 have in store.  More two-a-days, 80 to 90 miles per week, two MLR's of the 12 and 15 mile variety during the middle of the week and I lose my recovery Saturday.  I can already tell that those 8 and 9 mile GA runs on Saturday are going to be a challenge.  Especially since I am accustom to 6 miles very, very easy. 

This coming week is going to be a big one.  I'm seriously considering running the Firecracker 10K on Wednesday, plus MLR's of 13 and 15 and then round out the week with 18 miles, 10 of them at MP!  Wish me luck, it's going to be a tough one.  Nothing like getting up at 4:00 am to run in some moderate temps!

Here is my song of the week, which has given a much needed boost more than a few times this week:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xc1syUFmGwU

Happy Running Everybody!

Rick