After a positive week last week, it was that time again for my long run. Since I ran 18.2 last weekend, and 16 the week before that, I wanted to back off again. My plan for today was to run 15 miles and that's what I did. I felt pretty good too but I realized something that I always talk about, but it amazes me every time I come across it.
The Week in Review
Sunday, Feb. 9th, As I said, I went out with the intent to run 15 miles. Long story short, I ran the whole way, felt good and my 14:27 pace compared to last week's 14:41 pace felt really slow. I was sure I was running slower than the week prior. So - big plus in that a faster pace felt easier. Where it got weird was when I hit 15 miles.
As mentioned, I only planned to run 15 miles today, but I was feeling really relaxed and good and so I didn't turn to head home when I should have. I continued on the greenway and went to the end of the Hominy Creek Greenway. I turned around and was debating whether or not I should go for 18.2 again since I was ahead of pace. To see if I could maintain for another 3 miles on tired legs. The coach in me was screaming because I knew I should back off this week and reduce any chance of injury. It was my ego that wanted to go 18.2 again. However, when I got to 15 miles, it was like a giant put their thumb down on my running cape. I just stopped. I didn't even mean to stop. But it was so ingrained in me that I was going to run just 15 miles, that when I got to that point, my body said "I know you were thinking of going 18.2 again, but no. It's time to stop." It was really weird.
I debated whether or not I should walk the 2.2 miles that would get me home - and not the additional 1 mile that would have made it 18.2 or just call my wife and have her come and pick me up. Again, the coach in me was yelling, "it's only 15 on the schedule, don't be dumb!", so I caved and called my wife to come get me.
Monday, Feb. 10th, was a rest day.
Tuesday, Feb. 11th, I missed getting in a run, but I did do a total body workout at home.
Wednesday, Feb. 12th, I went to they gym to do a treadmill run. It was pouring rain, and I just wasn't feeling like getting soaked and frozen. Anyway, it was a great workout which I called the Frog Pot workout. If you don't know the story and frogs in pots, here's a quick summary. Put a frog in boiling water and it will jump out right away. Put a frog in a pot of regular water and slowly heat it and the frog will stay in not recognizing the slow change in temperature. This workout works on the same idea.
First, I warmed up with a half mile walk at a 17:38 pace. Then I started running at a 12:00 minute mile pace to see what that felt like given I've been running 14 minute + pace for my long runs. I could only hold it for a half mile so I slowed down to a 14:38 pace which was 4.1 on the speed setting. After a quarter mile, I boosted to 4.2. After another quarter mile I boosted to 4.3 and so on every quarter mile. When I got to around 3 miles, I started going up every tenth of a mile so at the end, I was running a 10:54 pace. What was neat was the 10:54 pace at the end felt like same effort as the 12:00 pace at the beginning. I then cooled down by walking a 17:38 pace. I did 4 miles in 54:53. I slowed down even more and walked until I got to the hour mark which ended up being 4.23 miles if I remember correctly.
Thursday, Feb. 13th, I took a rest day from running but I did do my total body workout at home.
Friday, Feb. 14th, was Valentine's Day. I missed running in the morning and we had 5 p.m. dinner reservations so there was no running.
Saturday, Feb. 15th my wife and I spent the day at the NC Arboretum so no running.
All in all, not a great week for running mileage. Work is picking up with a crazy schedule over the next few weeks. I'll be traveling a lot with a lot of travel on Sundays. This will make getting in my long runs difficult. I may have to switch them to Saturday's just to make I do it. More on this in the next post.
No comments:
Post a Comment