July Notes

7/8/08
I'm back in training now, hoping for a BQ in my October race, so I'd like to jump back in with some blogging reports. I'm following Pfitz now, determined to STICK TO IT after having injuries and slowing paces starting to snarl when I got carried away with adding a mile or two here and there. Today was a recovery day, 7 this morning and planning on 3 tonight. I also did some push ups and hip strength to work on the fundamental strength I so badly need to really hold up to some advanced training!

7/10/08: Yay…uh oh!
13m medium-long run for me today. Started out the best run yet. My energy and strength just keeps getting better this week. Even better, my legs are back: the calf strain from last week and recent hip issues were pretty much nonexistent, and I was raving for 11m about how much a difference for the better I felt after my 3m recovery jog last night.

Then suddenly at 10.8m something popped right where the old calf strain was and I could barley plantar flex my foot. Being stuck 3.5m away from home, I walked around a little then started a very gimpy jog back. It loosened up some and I made it in with less pain than the get-go, but I’m SO frustrated—I was just feeling strong and sturdy and now I’m back to the land of ice, gimp, and worry. L

7/11/08: Just ROCKIN! J
Why did today have to be a recovery day??! Holy cow, I felt STUPENDOUS! Pain gone + best energy and strength. I wanted to run fast and forever….so painful trying to keep it at recovery pace and cut myself off at 6m. I’m saving it for my long run tomorrow—can’t wait! J

I also tried my new Hammer’s Core work DVD. It seemed way too easy, but every time I try and do lower body strength work I end up quitting because it aggravates old injuries before it can help prevent them. Hopefully using this DVD can help keep me from overdoing it yet still building that fundamental strength I need so bad!
There are more advanced circuits to be tried later. ;-)

Saturday, July 19, 2008: Strong legs already??!
This week has gone surprisingly well considering I expected to be DEAD after art fair with work. Basically working has been more hours and on my legs more…I did cut out my 2-a-day workouts so that helped. The biggest thing has been my sleep schedule, which already sucks, got all that much worse this week with the later hours. I was rarely in bed more than 6 hours. So combine the lack of sleep with long days + the most humid week yet and I anticipated some struggles with my runs…

As it turned out, my workouts this week went alright. Nothing that stood out, but steady and strong. Plus, my legs are feeling worlds better than the last couple weeks! Hammer’s Core is more leg stuff [easy though] than abs, and I keep thinking my old injuries will hurt because of it, but I always feel even better the day after a little Core session!

My long run today really stood out. Legs felt so much better than last week. I was also feeling better in general, and here I was worried I’d have to call it off after this week at work!


Thursday, 7/24: Fatigued?...or not!
I started out the week feeling the exhaustion I’d expected last week—but that soon gave way to some of my best runs yet! Yesterday’s pm recovery run was a breeze—so much different from the thick dead legs and long miles that my original evening runs felt like.
Today’s tempo was spectacular. Here I was concerned if I’d even be able to do a tempo this week, and it was my strongest one yet—and longest.
I’m getting POWERFUL! I was going faster with less effort.

Ironically, Pfitz had me schedule for an extra recovery day earlier this week [Sunday and Monday recovery instead of just Sunday], one less medium long run, and my tempo workout later. Funny how that all worked out and I was recovered and strong to go today!

The only nagging issue now is my legs are hurting more than last week [ligaments, shins, hip]—not bad, but likely a delayed response to my mileage peaking at 91-92 last week.
But I know as long as I stick to my plan and TAKE CARE OF MYSELF now, I will recover, adapt, and be ready to move on to stronger and better! [easier said than done sometimes]


July Week 3:
Strong, fast, and powerful! [notes in training log—didn’t have time to journal]