Women's training thread - week of 4/19/09

Sometimes zilch is just what the doctor ordered. Maybe you can come clean up the sorry excuse I have for a garden.

I am also on the verge of soiling myself with regard to Boston. I care about it a lot more than I did last year, probably due to a combination of being excited about Goucher's chances for a win (I don't hold the same hope for Hall) as well as the fact that I'm following (and rooting for) at least four or five average Janes and Joes during the race.

Week 13 was another good, albeit lower mileage, week for me. I've now been officially banging away for 21 weeks between coach-assisted basebuilding and training. Only six more to go until M Day.

http://raceslikeagirl.com/2009/04/19/spring-race-training-week-13/

Now let's see if we can get this thread up to four pages this week. Looking forward to the Boston race reports!

Zero running too, just going into my 6th week of no running, waiting for surgery (knee).

Is it still your achilles Humbled?

Doing my part to boost the thread. And a big good luck to TFLTFT! As well as best wishes to Humbled and TXrunnergirl on their recoveries. RLAG, I've been following your blog religiously.

My week was a bit frustrating. Started physical therapy for the achilles -- it's primarily massage and ultrasound, but I was also given some exercises/stretches to do. I asked the therapist if there was an upper limit to how many of them I could do, and she said I could do them 4 times a day.

So, I did them 4 times a day, and gave myself a mild calf strain (not constant pain, just a bit sore with a tendency to cramp up). When I reported this to her, she said that most patients only did the exercises half as often as they said they did, and she didn’t think I’d actually do them 4 times a day! >:| So, a temporary reduction in mileage and a return to the arc-trainer to let it recover, and an agreement that she’ll tell me exactly what she means in the future. Sigh.

Nice thing is that easy running seems to aggravate stuff much more than speedwork, so I'm subbing in the arc-trainer for the easy mileage, while keeping the speedwork.

**********

My week looked like this: Approximately 35 miles plus 5.5 hours on the arc-trainer.

Monday: 30 minutes on the arc-trainer, strength training (focus on legs), and 3 miles at very easy pace on treadmill (8:59 pace, 2.5% incline)

Tuesday: 7 very easy miles on the treadmill (9:06 pace, 2.5% incline), plus 20 minutes on the arc-trainer and a yoga class

Wednesday: 10 minutes on the arc-trainer, and then 10 miles on the treadmill (2% incline), including a VO2 max workout of six intervals of .75 miles each (pace of 6:15 for intervals 1, 2, 4, and 5; pace of 6:10 for intervals 3 and 6). Immediately after the last interval, I forced myself to “kick” for an additional tenth of a mile at 5:50 pace, before cooling down.

Thursday: In the morning, an hour on the arc-trainer, and then strength training. In the evening, 3 very easy miles outside (8:39 pace)– pulled up when calf started cramping.

Friday: An hour on the arc-trainer, 3.25 very easy miles on the treadmill (2.5% incline 8:43 pace – again, ran until cramps started), and a yoga class

Saturday: 70 minutes on arc-trainer, plus weight training.

Sunday: 80 minutes on arc-trainer, plus treadmill tempo run (2% incline). Total of 8.75 miles, including five tempo intervals of 1.5 miles at 6:40 pace, with 2 minute jogging recovery between each.

Edit: best wishes to trackchick as well! (I got your handle mixed up with Txrunnergirl, who I believe is also dealing with an injury).

Oh dear, sounds like everybody made it thorugh the cold winter and got injuried in early Spring?

I'm glad to hear people are on the mend...txrunnergirl is doing 50...I'd give my eye teeth to do 50..(no not really)

WOW! What a day! Had dinner at Legal's at the Pru last night with some Marathon Maniac's. What a wonderful evening. For such a club name they are the most low key, relaxed enjoyable group of people!

Went to the expo this morning to just a bit ago.....it's a mad house!!! Exciting...in a crazy sort of way. I'm glad I'm not running, so I can enjoy all the meet and greet....but on the other hand I would enjoy running to put to great use all the exhilaration!! I'm now at the point where I just absolutely, throughly enjoy THE thought of running Boston..(not on your life would I ever do it)..LOL!

GodSpeed to all!!

Humbled, I am glad you are able to find nuggets of positive in your recovery (you can come and walk on my grass any time -- although we have the smallest of patches). Hang tough track chick (love your handle).

RLAG -- I am amazed, as always.

Two week count-down for me ... 78 mpw (well, 78.5 but who's counting) - one fartlek run, one 8 mile MP run and the grand finale, today was 20 miles with 8 miles @ MP with the first 12 a little faster than comfortable (overall pace for the run was somewhere between 8 min and 8:12 pace depending on how much longer than 20 it was -- I guess somewhere between .25 and .5 of a mile).

I have been working very hard at finding MP this week - last week I ran them a little too fast, this week I kept them around 7:45 pace (probably still a little too fast, but better). In order to keep my pace under control I was shouting out: "Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers" 3 times loudly alternating with "the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plains". It worked like a charm.

I had an Egoscue appointment this week, got a really good menu for the month, I have had some big problems with my hips/gluts/etc. and we found that the actual "problem" is originating in my thoracic region -- 3 days of new exercises has made a big difference.

I also am excited about tomorrow's race -- good luck TFLTFT, race well, have fun!

HI Patty! I can only imagine what the expo is like ... and the nerves that are jangling there!

Patti hey woman,I bet the pre Boston atmostphere is amazing, does it take you back to the occasions when you raced there? I def plan on calling you this week, although it will be a mad house here since I have to pack and depart for warmer climes in the South.

Sorry to those with limited runs or zilch but then again look at it like even rest is a positive thing just hard on the brain sometimes :o)

I got in 40 miles in 4 days with 3 off, the only reason for the off days was me feeling overloaded mentally, so I am thankful it was the mind and not the bod that kept me from more miles.

Once I am re-situated I think life will calm down abit and then I think I may just hop into races (short ones) and use em for speedwork.

A shout out to Lori K and Nick End and the gals on this thread running Boston! Actually Nick is a guy but still want to wish all the runners well. Go Ryan Hall and God Speed! Go Kara Go!

Have a super week one and all. Oh and Dark it is all too easy to overdo your exercises as you found out, sometimes less is more! Feel better!

Patti, my coach, Kevin Beck, has been hanging out at the Runner's World booth and having a blast. I enjoyed his report of Bill Rodgers signing autographs and "trying to talk to each person for longer than is feasible." He says the atmosphere there is great and oozing with coolness.

Did you get a chance to see the invitational mile and/or 5K race today?

Hi-

Glad to see so many posts already! Good luck in Boston, tfltft. Hope the weather is great. I am so excited to see how the race goes - I am sad it's not on TV this year. I will try to watch it at work but it will probably be hard. I can't wait to hear all the stories.

Humbled - sorry to hear that your PF is still hurting so much. I am glad you are able to walk with your foot flat now. It's funny how we go from being tough on ourselves about a bad workout to being glad to be able to walk normally. I hope you recover quickly and are back running soon. I wish I had the yard motivation!

RLAG - I can't wait to see what happens in 6 weeks. I love your blog.

Track chick - sorry to hear you're hurt. I have enjoyed seeing your posts on other places on the forum and am glad to see you here.

AZ - great mileage! I have a hard time with MP too.

Darkwave - I would be so frustrated with that PT. I'm glad you're able to run some. That is a frustrating injury and I'm glad you're getting attention for it quickly. That pain is nothing to mess around with.

Sarah - I did get a sports massage this week. I still want to go to that ART lady but managed to get in with a local runner masseuse. She said I had a very tight soleus so I will do more stretching and self-massage.

Well, I got in 27 miles this week with a great 12-mile long run at an 8-ish pace that left me feeling like I could do a few more. I added a 4th run this week during my brick workout for my triathlon that's coming up. I don't see myself doing any more of them, but the training is fun and it is a good diversion from not being able to run as much as I want. I feel now like I can complete the half at Pittsburgh as my long run, and hopefully arrive in time to see my friend win the men's race and my husband run a PR.

Have a good week, all!

WATC -- what's a "brick workout"?

Hi all and good luck to those running Boston. I wish I was there to watch....I think it will be an amazing day.

I had a good week overall.

Tues was 5X 1 mile on grass at 7 min pace with 3 min rest

Wed 40 min easy

Thu 70 min with some uptempo

Fri easy jog

Sat: half marathon. Just as a practice/dress rehersal for my marathon in 2 weeks. I was a bit over 1:40 so, I was somewhat disappointed because I felt more tired than I should have but, it was my first race in 7 months (stress fx) and I needed to get something done before the marathon....besides...it was important that I find out that the shoes I was PLANNING to run the marathon in, gave me a big, blood blister on my heel at mile 8...so, worthwhile information was gathered.

I'm a bit apprehensive about my relative lack of fitness for the marathon but, in some ways the race gave me some good information and some good confidence....

Can't wait to hear the stories from Boston and have a good week!!

Races Like a Girl wrote:

WATC -- what's a "brick workout"?

It's a workout when you do parts of the triathlon together. I rode the bike and then got off and ran. It is pretty hard on the legs and I was super slow for a little bit! Good practice.

I am worn out from Boston coverage! Good job to TFLTFT. Sounds like a windy day. I was sad Kara and Ryan didn't win, but they both ran good races.

TFLTFT looks like she ran a pretty much perfectly executed race on a tough course/tough day. I am both impressed and thrilled for her. Inspiring stuff!

Ah!! Wonderful day for a run!

Congratulations KARA! Nice work. There is so much more in store for you!

Colleen, you are truly awesome. You are also some even lady!!!

Like to raise a hat (bra) to Boston Billy!! WAY TO GO!!

patti wrote:

Like to raise a hat (bra) to Boston Billy!! WAY TO GO!!

Ha! You sure you want to raise your bra?

I would if I wore one..

So I guess that would be BRA's off to Boston Billy!!! LOL!!

So...Ladies...BRA's OFF to Boston Billy!! WAY TO GO!!!

You would truly understand if you were running in the running era.

Hey Patti

Yes Colleen is amazing wow! I was psyched watching her up at the front with the lead gals...

Also a big shout out and warmest CONGRATS to new time poster Female Master who PR's this morning at Boston in 2:54.03, she is such an inspiration and has worked so hard.

I have had the marathon on my mind all day, it has the competitive juices flowing to try and hit a 26.2 some time in the next wee while.

Crazy week ahead here as I get on the road South, looking forward to new beginnings.

Let's hear the Boston reports ladies and have a wonderful week of training one and all.

Ciao for now :o)

Huge congrats to Female Master -- what a great time!