VT Dad’s fight vs. inertia & flab

Well, I’ve got to figure out what’s been going on between my ears.  I haven’t run in 10 days.  Whatever progress I’d made in October and the first 2 weeks of November were washed out.  Today, I got my lazy butt out of bed, and toed the start line for a Thanksgiving 5K which benefitted the local food shelf.  It 37F, 3C and windy for the 11:00 start.   A crowd of about 500 runners were on hand to race, and support the food shelf.  This was the same course where I ran a 24:47, 5 weeks ago.  I tried to relax and concentrate on my form, but throughout the race people kept on passing me.  I finished in 25:26, 40 seconds slower than 5 weeks ago.  Time to get my head on straight.

I had a zero week.  Rest, Recovery, Good diet. 0 miles logged, 0 lbs gained.

Training schedule for the coming week: Proprioceptive cue: Drive the Thigh
Monday: Base run 8 miles@ base pace. Drills: 2X20 seconds: steep hill runs, one legged hops.
Tuesday: 8X400m intervals @ 3K pace (1:52), 1.5 mile warmup and cool down. 3 minutes of running recovery between intervals.
Wednesday: Recovery or base paced run 2-6 miles + basketball
Thursday: 5K Race.
Friday: Recovery or base paced run 2-6 miles + basketball
Saturday: 9.8 mile long run
Sunday: Rest

As I am temporarily without my cell phone, I am also without my alarm.  I awoke today too late to run, and tonight there is a thin layer of black ice on the road, as we received a dusting of snow.  It’s probably best that I didn’t run today, as my left foot is sore.  I spent over an hour rolling a ball under that foot.  I guess I’ll have to wait until tomorrow to test it.

This was my worst week since I’ve returned to my training.  I only ran 3/7 days, and I failed to attempt one of my key runs, my 400m intervals.  What this week may have accomplished was to maintain the status quo, but my status quo won’t allow me to reach my lofty goals.  I need to take a deep look inside, and see how badly I want to make these goals.  Diet: I need to be stricter, no eating after 9PM, and eliminate processed snacks from my diet.  I should try and drop 8 lbs., and get down to 185 before the end of the year.  Sleep: I need to be in bed by 10PM, and start getting up for my 5AM predawn runs.  Exercise: I like my training book, I agree with its philosophy, I’m the one who needs to change, and get all of my runs in during the week.  Weight training: I’ve abandoned my core workouts, so I need to get back into the habit of doing those, as adding some circuit training.

Training schedule for the coming week: Proprioceptive cue: Drive the Thigh
Monday: Off
Tuesday: Base run 9 miles@ base pace. Drills: 2X20 seconds: steep hill runs, one legged hops.
Wednesday: 14X400m intervals @ 3K pace (1:52), 1.5 mile warmup and cool down. 3 minutes of running recovery between intervals.
Thursday: Recovery or base paced run 2-6 miles
Friday: 30/30 intervals. 2 mile warmup and cool down at recovery pace, 22X30/30 intervals. 30seconds@5K pace, 30 seconds recovery.
Saturday: Recovery or base paced run 2-6 miles
Sunday: Marathon Paced Run: 2 mile warmup and cool down at recovery pace. 8 miles at marathon pace (8:46 miles).

This afternoon was an ugly time for a run, it was overcast, and windy, and the temperature was dropping like a rock.  It was 43F, 6C when I started my run.  Today was my long run.  I was supposed to run 11 miles, with the first and last 2 miles relaxed, as a warmup and cool down, and my middle 7 miles at marathon pace.  Eventually, I’m hoping for my marathon pace to be ~8 minute miles, but today I my goal was for some sub9 minute miles.  The other goal I had was to run my first 10K of the run in under an hour, something I had yet to do on this course.

I ran a relaxed first 2+ miles averaging ~10:00 minute miles.  I then began to pick up my pace, with the intentions of holding that pace for 7 miles.  I felt as if I ran a solid 7 miles.  My concentration was good, the wind was a bear.  It didn’t matter which direction I ran in, the wind always seemed to be in my face.  For the first time ever I passed the 10K spot in less than an hour.  I ran with focus, determination, and a solid rhythm and cadence.  Those middle 7 miles I ran in about 9:22 pace, good, but not attaining my goal.  

I relaxed during the last 2 miles, with some concerns as I finished with my left achilles. It was feeling tender.  I think it’s time for new shoes.

I went on a run today.  I finally got back out and ran.  It was another glorious afternoon 57F,14 C.   My scheduled run was 2 miles warmup and cool down, with 16X30 second bursts @ 5K pace followed by 30 seconds of recovery.  I found this workout to be much harder than the similar workout from last week (only 14 repeats).  I had hoped to run a loop, but when it became apparent that I wouldn’t come anywhere close to completing the loop within the parameters of my run, I turned around and doubled back on my run.  Unfortunately, I didn’t turn around until after 10 repeats, so I needed 10 repeats for the return leg, so I ended up with 20X30 second bursts instead of 16.   The good news was that I felt good.   No lingering aches and pains.  The bad news was that my form still needs a lot of work.  It felt great to get out running again.  On a side note my cell phone was taken out of my car while I was at synagogue tonight.  The biggest loss were all my contact numbers and my calendar.

Right now I am frustrated, confused, and anxious.  Since my disastrous run on Tuesday night, I’ve had doubts weaving their way through my consciousness.  I’m wondering if I’m suffering any physical ailments.  Little tweaks that before I’d dismiss as nothing have me concerned.  My right hip feels a little out of alignment, my right ankle seems a little suspect, and my left foot has me concerned that my orthodics may need replacing.  I have yet to go on a run and test things, instead I just sit and stew and worry.  Maybe later tonight I’ll go for a run and see.  The sooner the better, if I can only make that first step.

For the second straight year I’ve had an opportunity to teach an elective Yoga course during Hebrew school.  Last year my entire class consisted of 7th graders, all of whom I had taught the previous year.  This year my class was smaller.  The kids in it were younger.  We worked on breathing.  We worked on flexibility.  We worked on focus.  It was a wonderful change of pace from my daily routine..

I’ve had a bad time of it trying to get up in the mornings for my run.  I went to bed very early both Sunday, and Monday nights, but ignored my alarm, and only woke up when it was time to get up for work.  Monday I took as an off day, since I had raced a 5K Saturday, but I really had wanted to get my base run in this morning.  This afternoon I crossed my fingers while my daughter looked for a play date, so that I could meet my son after school, and leave from the school on a run together.  Unfortunately any plans she had fell through, and while I was frustrated the 2 of us did some baking together.  I waited until I had put my daughter to bed before embarking on my run.

It was 37F, 3C when I set out on my run.  The route I chose was an 8.4 mile loop. My PR for this loop is 1:14:33.  I wrote about it in my log last year calling it my best run ever.  My goal for this night time run was to set a new PR.  My mile time and 15 minute distance were good, but not my best.  I kept saying to myself If I concentrate and focus, I could improve my splits, finish strong, and set a new PR.  At the 1/2 way point, I was about 1 minute over the time I needed, although I was behind my goal pace, I still thought I had a chance to meet my goal.  

Somewhere during my 6th mile I realized that I wasn’t going to eclipse my goal tonight, and my brain shut down.  I lost my concentration.  I lost my focus.  I totally lost it.  My brain could no longer control my body, and my body was turning itself off.  I was having an out of body experience, watching myself crash and burn.  The only thing I was able to sustain was that my legs were still moving forwards, and my feet were hitting the ground one after another.  It seemed almost as if I were the scarecrow from the Wizard of Oz, untethered and set free for the first time.  Somehow I made it home, but I was only a shadow of the same person that had started out nearly 83 minutes earlier. My first mile, although not my best I had run in 8:32.  That same mile I stumbled and bumbled returning in 12:30.  Tomorrow’s a new day, hopefully I’ll keep my head with me during the entire run.

I took today as a rest day following my 5K race.

This week was a good one for my running, I ran 5 of 7 days logging 25.2 miles, and set a 5K PR on Saturday.  However, I only did 1 ab/core workout during the week.  The following is my schedule for the coming week:

Proprioceptive cue:  Pounding the ground
Monday:  OFF
Tuesday: Base run, 8 miles @ base pace
Wednesday:  1.5 mile warmup and cool down 12×400 meters @ current 3K pace (1:52)
Thursday: Recovery/Base run 2-6 miles
Friday: 30-30 Intervals 2 miles warmup and cool down, with 16×30 seconds @ 5K pace with 30 seconds of recovery.
Saturday: Recovery/Base run 2-6 miles
Sunday: Marathon Paced run 2 mile warm up, 7 miles at marathon goal pace (7:57 miles)  
Core/Resistance workouts 4-5 days this week.