Running The Race

The weeks are moving on.  It was another hot week but I got in my first 20 miler for the training cycle.  It was the slowest 20 mile training run I have ever logged.  At least it is behind me now.

Sunday: Rest Day

Monday: 5 miles with core work at the Y during lunch.  It was just too hot to do hill sprints.

Tuesday: 11 miles

Wednesday: Rest Day and Core workout

Thursday: 10 miles

Friday: 3 miles

Saturday: 20 miles – Left the house at 4 am to beat the heat.  It was pleasant until the sun rose.

Total for the week: 49 miles

I enjoy training for a marathon.  I enjoy putting in the miles. I enjoy dealing with the scheduling to get the training in.  I enjoy working out the details of the race.  I enjoy feeling like I’m making progress toward a goal.

This cycle seem to be a little different in that I just don’t feel like I am making progress.  It is more of a struggle to maintain and persevere. At this point, I am attributing it to the heat.  (I am not ready to admit that age could be a factor.) With the temperature in the mid-90s and the heat index above 100 most afternoons, I am just happy to get in the mileage. The week I was on vacation gave me hope.  I was able to run in the mornings and saw my times improve.  I know I could switch to running before dawn.  Getting up at 3:30 am on Saturday is fine for once a week.  I just can’t bring my self to doing it everyday even though I get up at 4:30 on weekdays.

With at least 6 more weeks of summer, I guess my only hope is to hang in there and hope for an early fall.

Training for last week…

Sunday: Rest day

Monday: 5 recover miles with short hill strides. Core work at Y during lunch.

Tuesday: 11 miles

Wednesday: Rest Day

Thursday: 10 miles

Friday: 5 recover miles. Core work during lunch.

Saturday: 18 miles

Total for the week: 49 miles

With the return to work this past week, I also returned to running in the afternoons.  Needless to say, it was a return to the heat also.  Luckily, the humidity was not as bad the first few day as it was the end of June.

Sunday was a rest day.

Monday was a holiday for my company, so I got one last weekday morning run in. Ran 5 miles. In the afternoon, rode 10 miles with Amy.

Tuesday it was back to the afternoons for a warm 10 miler.

Wednesday was a rest day.

Thursday’s schedule called for another 10 miler.  There were scattered showers in the area. It sprinkled the whole time, very humid but at least it was overcast.

Friday was a 5 mile recovery run with short hill sprints at the end.

Saturday morning at 4:30 is was very foggy.  Even though the tempeture was in the mid-seventies, the humidity was 95%.  By mile 16, I was done and cut the run a mile short.  I was toast for the rest of the day.

Total for the week: 46

Since the Fourth was on Sunday, my office was closed today to observer the holiday. So, I got to extend my vacation one more day. It was very pleasant when I ran an easy 5 miles this morning. Then did yard work the rest of the morning. What a way to spend the last day of vacation.

Four weeks down 14 to go.

My routine changed this past week.  We left middle Tennessee on June 25 heading East for a week of vacation.  It was great to have all the girls with us.  We stopped in High Point, NC, and picked up Mom before heading to the North Carolina coast to meet up with my brother and sisters.

One of the good things about being off work was that I was able to run early in the morning.  I know I will have to reacclimate to the afternoon heat this coming week.

Sunday, Amy and I ran 5 miles to the North Carolina Aquarium and back.

Monday, I ran 10 miles to the end of the island.

Tuesday, was a repeat of Monday with Amy followed by 5 x 100m strides.

Wednesday was another 10 miler.

Thursday and Friday were travel days.

Saturday, I opted to not run the Firecracker 5k but instead ran 17 miles. By chance, I ran in to Chris and Keith at mile 5.  Chris split off at mile 7 but Keith ran with me through mile 15.  It was great to have some company.  It made the miles go by faster.

Total for the week: 47 – not bad for a vacation week.

Another hot week as I have settled into the training for Chicago in October. One question that keeps coming back to me is at what point do you slow down so much for the heat that you are actually training yourself to run slow?

Since I had some vacation time this week, I was able to put in some morning runs this week. Even though it was still hot, I did log some faster times. That was good news.

Monday’s run was 5 miles in the neighborhood after work with 5 short hill repeats.

Tuesday was a long hot 10 miler. I usually done run with my iPod except in the summer to distract me from the heat. But Tuesday the battery died with 4 miles left to go. So I was left to suffer in silence.

Wednesday was a rest day.

Since Thursday was a vacation day, I ran my long run for the week. Was out the door by 4:30 for a 17 miler. It was still hot but I followed the pattern I set last Saturday continuing to increase the amount of water I drink during the workout. I still lost 6 pounds!

Friday was a travel day.

Saturday was another early morning 10 miler. But it was the best time I had log at that distance in several weeks.

Total for the week: 42 miles

It has been a tough start to this training cycle.  The weather is the biggest factor.  It is either the heat or storms. Either way the challenges have been related to the the unseasonably hot weather for the last month. With temps in the 90s and the heat index over 100, summer can’t be any worst. If this keeps up, it will be one sloooow run in Chicago.

Monday was a recovery run of 5 miles with short hill sprints at the end.

Tuesday was a VERY slow 10 miler.  I just took my time and lingered over the water stops.

Wednesday was a rest day.

Thursday’s schedule called for another 10 milers but I only got in 3 miles before a heavy thunderstorm moved in and drove me inside.

Friday I was able to run in the morning an easy 5 miles with hill sprints at the end.

Saturday, I was out the door by 4:30 to beat the heat. Refilled my water bottles every chance I got.  Drank more water during that 16 miler than I ever had on a long Saturday run.  I was determined to stay hydrated. I was slow but finished strong.

Total for the week: 39 miles

If the last few weeks are any indication, it is going to be a hot summer. Ran a slow 10 miles this afternoon. With the temperature in the low 90s and the heat index above 100, I had no choice but to go slow. Kept a watch on my heart rate to keep me for pushing the pace. Glad to have just logged the miles.

After yesterday’s scorcher, I only ran 5 easy miles.  It was still 90 degrees but taking it easy helped.  Finished the run with a few hill sprints.  Also, was able to go to the Y at lunch for some core work.

It was another hot afternoon to run 10 miles. I went out the alternate route but since the greenway appeared to be open I took the shaded route back to the house.  Not a fast time by any means but at this point in the training it is all about the miles.