Great Training Week

After being sick all last weekend, I wasn't sure how quickly I could come back, and I needed to be careful to watch and make sure I wasn't getting any worse. At this point, I have a very sporadic cough and a tiny bit of nasal congestion. I haven't been at all tired--in fact, it's been difficult to get to sleep several nights this week (which could be related to the fact that I went off birth control pills--we will see whether I continue on the sleeplessness path or not--if so, back on them I go).

Last weekend I was scheduled to do a 2-hour run, which would have been the culmination of 10 days straight of running. As you may know, that plan got derailed when I got sick a week ago Friday and did no training for 3 days. At that point, though, I had run for 7 days straight and completed 3 brick workouts.

This week I managed to run every day, for another "streak" of 7 days straight (I will take the day off from running tomorrow), I got in 3 solid brick workouts and felt pretty good the entire time. I can usually easily manage 5 days of running per week, but now I'm thinking I should just set an objective of 6 days per week through December. While the 2 brick runs I did on Tuesday and Thursday didn't feel that good (gee I wonder why!), every other run felt pretty good. 5 out of 7 isn't bad.

I was pretty tired starting Friday's run and just about bagged it. I was tired because I couldn't fall asleep Thursday night, but still needed to get up and swim on Friday morning, and didn't get enough sleep and was just pooped out. I guess those Tuesday and Thursday workouts crept up on me. But I went to the Y anyway (it was chilly and very windy) and thought, let's keep the streak going and see what we can do. I got on the treadmill, and for the first time in I can't remember (at least a year), I felt like running at my easy pace for the entire workout. After almost 30' of this, the lights went out (never found out what happened and didn't care), and no worries, I was planning on moving to the track for some strides, and didn't care if it was dark in there. I got on the track and thought, "Let's run 1 mile and see how fast we go." So I run a mile in under 8'! And then I did strides, and at the end I decided to run fast for another 1/4 mile. Did it in 1:57. It just goes to show you how sometimes even when you feel shitty you can pull off a good workout. Plus, I didn't break my streak!

Yesterday was interesting, because I was expecting company (turns out they didn't make it), so I spent the better part of the morning cleaning my house. I was actually enjoying it as a sort of "fall cleaning" festival. I had started on it Friday evening, and yesterday I made a whole lot more progress. My fall cleaning generally coincides with "it's finally time to put the bike on the trainer." So when I decided I had better get to my bike workout (it was only 44 outside and no way I was riding in that), I finall took off the rear wheel, changed the cassette (I had lazily left on a 12-27 out of which I used only the lowest 3 cogs for the last 5 or so weeks) and put on a used, crappy tire and a new tube. The carpet was all dried out and I sanitized it, and so I was ready to set up the trainer.

Man, have I become a lot stronger on the bike since a year ago. My perception of what is hard is an entirely different thing now. And it's even more "fun" (if you can even call it that) riding on the trainer without the HRM. I fired up some tunes, the 2006 TDF Tape 1, and did close to 2:45. I am not sure if it's because I was sick last week or what, but my high end power was a little off, but I just accepted it and still got in a pretty good workout.

I changed my bra top (which was soaked through and through) and put on a long sleeve technical top to do my brick run outdoors. Boy did that feel strange! I felt like I was a perfect temperature, and truth be told, my legs were feeling no pain whatsoever! I think it was the shock of the cold air. Or maybe it was that I had "only" ridden 2:40. Whatever, I'll take it. My hands were cold during the run, and I was glad I only had to do 30' (shhhh....my schedule didn't call for a run at all, but since I figured I missed my long ride last week and its brick run that I would do one yesterday).

Within about 5' of getting home, I was like WTF my quads HURT. It felt like I had done about a million squats or something. They just hurt like mofos. I thought DOMS was supposed to happen 2 days later, but NO! I'm thinking my muscles got messed up by the hot/cold transition or something. At any rate, a little gentle stretching fixed me right up.

My core temperature must have stayed elevated for a long time, because once again, I was hot and had trouble falling asleep. I lowered the thermostat. Maybe I am turning into a lizard (go ahead and laugh those of you who already thought I was one). But I didn't have to set my alarm for this morning, so no worries.

I made a pot of pretty strong coffee this morning, and I must say, I thoroughly enjoyed drinking it. I LOVE coffee, but I only drink it in the morning, or else I'd be awake 24x7. Anyway, the coffee was mighty tasty, and this got me motivated for my long run.

I was only scheduled for 1:40, but thought I'd try and crank out the 2 hours that I was supposed to do last week. I added on some easy (Z1) time at the beginning and steady (Z2) time at the end. I took Gatorade and some Coke to the Y and got started.

Surprisingly, my legs felt pretty good, considering this was day 7 of running and 3 bricks, and yesterday's workout was fairly tough. So I settled in and got it done, and guess what? I should call today an "official" half marathon PR, because I ran 13.1 miles in 2 hours. And a lot of that time I was running at easy to steady pace! And I don't feel all that worked from it, either! YES! This should put me in good shape for my 1/2 IM in 4 weeks. Or something! I take it when I can get it.

So there's my week. Coming off an illness, I feel pretty darn good. About 40 miles of solid running, getting my A-game back on the bike, and next week I start some swim coaching. All good!

Tomorrow, no running. But then I will run the other 6 days straight again!