This was an interesting week of high mileage but none of the other pieces that really add up to feeling like I had a week of ‘solid’ training (how quickly we adjust to the ‘new normal’…). Regardless, it is only my second-ever week at 80 miles, which is a net positive despite minor qualms about specific runs.
Monday: 10 miles total – 5 am // 5 pm
The first run was with Mark on the ATT down by Southpoint – he was very much still in recovery mode from the race 2 days earlier, so we jogged ~11:30/mile pace for this run. Very relaxing and fun, and I needed the recovery effort too after my Sunday workout. I was feeling a bit beat up but also hate starting the week at low mileage, so I ended up doubling and felt a lot better than earlier in the day.
Tuesday: 9 miles total – 4 am // 4 pm
Pretty uneventful runs on a pretty uneventful day. I had a decent number of meetings at work and a Godiva board meeting…just getting in what I could today.
Wednesday: 24 miles total – 12 am // 12 pm
Woo! Biggest double ever! I had hoped to do a long run today, but I had earlier meetings than afford me the time required. Yes, I could get up earlier, but no, I do not want to. I figured I’d go out and do whatever I had time for, which turned out to be 12 easy miles (a loop of Buehler plus some meandering around downtown). I did a handful of easy repeats of the ‘big’ (it’s not really big) Buehler hill, but nothing else was particularly notable about this run. I got home and had the idea that doing a big double would be fun, so I went out after work hoping to at least do 20 for the day. It got very cold (it was in the 20s much of the day!), and I almost mailed it in earlier but ended up pushing to a second 12 miles. I was thrilled that my legs never got tired, though I definitely was ready to be out of the cold by the end of the second 12.
Thursday: 4 miles
Easy recovery day – everything felt ok albeit tired.
Friday: 6.4 miles
Slow, easy miles around Duke with Mark after work.
Saturday: 18 miles
Cedar Ridge is back open!! It’s awesome, I love it. Did 18 at Umstead starting at the Crabtree parking lot – in, down and up Cedar Ridge, full loop, then back out to the car. Overall average pace was ~8:42/mile, though closer to 8:55 for the majority of run with a faster finish. Did not have a 20+ run in me today – legs were very fatigued from the 24-mile day, which…I guess I should have expected.
Sunday: 9 miles
I put off running most of the day, having volunteered at an aid station during the Race Across Durham with some fellow Godivans. As it got dark, I finally got myself out to the door to do…an undetermined number of miles. I ended up pushing up to 80 for the week – this was a nice and easy run, and I was pleased to feel much better at 80 miles this time than I did a few weeks back when I hit it for the first time ever.
Overall….no workouts, no long runs, but a solid week of mileage.
AB Writes 