Training week 7/21-7/27

My goal this week was to get in as many miles as possible, including quality interval and tempo workouts in preparation for the fall racing season. Anne had an all-weekend horse show, where she won the blue ribbon for champion of her class(!), so I wasn't able to participate in any of the Southeast Running Club group runs and instead spent quite a bit of time on my treadmill with Noah next to me. Fortunately, I was able to cobble together some decent mileage this weekend and end the week with 73 miles.

I waffled all week as on whether or not to run the Burning River 100 Mile Endurance Run (Aug. 2). I just couldn't picture myself not out there. But then Reason kicked in and I decided once and for all to sit this one out. My knee, while greatly improved, just isn't ready for 100 miles. It needs more time. I have started taking vegetarian Glucosamine & MSM (I'm allergic to shellfish) to improve the health of my cartilage. Hopefully, my knee will be 100% in a few weeks.

In lieu of running the BR100, I am pacing fellow Southeast Running Club member Tim Clement, who finished a strong third at last year's race and is in excellent shape, for the last 30 miles. Tim won the 2003 100-mile National Championship (14:01) and the 2004 100K National Championship (7:39) and has extraordinary natural endurance and ability. I look forward to pacing him and will surely learn a great deal in the process.

I'm looking at a 50-mile, night mountain race in West Virginia--not far from where I went to college--on August 22. This will likely be a key event for me. I wasn't anticipating a 50-miler in August but this race looks very appealing. It starts at 9 p.m. on a Friday night. I still don't know which fall marathon I'm running, though I feel pretty confident it'll be Columbus--my fifth time there.

Here's how the week went:

Monday
PM: 4.5 miles on the treadmill

Tuesday
AM: 8.12 miles at 7:20 pace
Some lingering soreness from the 22 miles on Saturday. This morning marked the first time Noah had slept through the night! (But the luck wouldn't last....)

Wednesday
AM: 8.12-mile track workout (the track had reopened after resurfacing)
It was great getting back on the track after six weeks away. This workout marked the beginning of my fall marathon training. Judging by the disparity of my interval times, I was definitely rusty and lacked control, but there is plenty of time to get clicking again before the fall. I ran two easy miles and four striders, followed by 3x1600s at 5:34, 5:46 and 5:50 with 800-meter recoveries. My goal was three 5:45s. My first repeat was obviously way too fast and my third a little too slow (and my second just right--sorry, couldn't resist). Next week I'm shooting for 5:43s. After my track workout, I ran home.

Thursday
AM: 8.11 miles at 7:20 pace

Friday
AM: 8.75-mile tempo run
Included 6:25 pace for 35 straight minutes (5:00-40:00). I wanted to hold my tempo pace 10 minutes longer but the wheels almost came off and so I slowed after 40:00 to about 6:50 pace and held it the rest of the way.
PM: 4.25 miles on the treadmill
Total miles for day: 13

Saturday
AM: 10 miles at 7:35 pace on the treadmill with Noah next to me
PM: 7 miles at South Chagrin Reservation
Some abdominal muscle discomfort. Maybe I strained a muscle somehow.
Total miles for day: 17

Sunday
AM: 8.2 miles at 7:20 pace on the treadmill with Noah next to me
PM: 6 miles at easy pace on the Bell/Washington Street grass cross country trail
Still some abdominal muscle discomfort. Got better with time.
Total miles for day: 14.2

Total miles for week: 73.43

Next week I should be able to approach or surpass 80 miles, including track and tempo workouts and the Saturday long run of 30 miles as I pace Tim.