week #10 recap

Weekly Mileage: 40.82

Monday Rest Day

Tuesday I ran 5.48 miles in the morning, I took it really easy at a pace of 9:36 per mile. I felt like my body was a little tired and tight from the 22 miler on the previous Saturday and I wanted to make sure I used the run as a good stretch and got myself prepared for the upcoming week.

Wednesday was a Trail run with Ian Durias, we connected that night and ran the Mt. Talbert trail near my house a 3 mile single track trail with 900ft of elevation. It was a great workout and running trails always helps to rejuvenate my love of running (there is something so pure about it) but I did hit the downhills pretty hard and was sore the next day for sure.

Thursday was another early morning run (about 8 hours after the trail run) I woke up stiff and sore from the trails so I used the run again to make sure I was good and stretched out for my weekend long run. I ended up getting in 6.04 miles at a pace of 8:53

Friday Rest Day

Saturday was my long run day (4 hours this week) I was a little nervous knowing this time would get me near the marathon distance give or take a mile and was not sure how I would do out on the road without aid stations or any real support. I decided to run from my house to I-205 and then follow the bike path north to the Springwater Trail and then follow that east to Gresham. I set up my sister-in-laws house (at the top of Towle/Eastman Parkway) to be my one make shift aid station and then I could run home.

It worked out pretty well, I started at 6:00am and felt decent for most of the run out to Gresham. I was just over 12 miles when I got to the base of Towle and had to run up to the top of the hill to get to the house. Thank goodness I knew there would be food and water waiting for me or that would have  been a very difficult climb. I stopped in to refill my water bottles and grab a piece of cheese and an apple before heading out again.

There is something about running down and back style long runs that make me feel like I'm done at the halfway point. When you turn around its like you made it to your destination and the rest of your run is just you going home, mentally it is much easier for me that way. The run home went pretty well I did start to get fatigued between miles 18-22 and did a bit of walking but around mile 24 I actually got a burst of energy. It looked like I would reach my house at just over 25 miles so since I was feeling good I decided to run a few laps around the church near my house to get to the Marathon distance.

I wasn't very sore that day after the run I had plenty of energy and when I woke up the next day I felt like I was about 80% and could have gone out for a light run without any major pains or issues. If you don't know I am doing all of this training on a plant based/vegetarian diet and believe the nutritionally dense food I am eating is helping with my energy level and especially my recovery.

Sunday Rest Day

* I have decided to not use the heart rate monitor anymore. I feel I have a great sense of where my pace is and what my body needs at the moment. There are times I feel like I should go fast and push the pace and there are other times I feel I need to take it slow get the miles in but make sure I don't get injured trying to keep a specific heart rate. I thought about only using it for my long runs as I still want to train my body to burn fat instead of sugar and make sure I don't run to hard to early leaving me without enough energy to finish the run, but I think the heart rate focus just gives me another thing to be concerned about on top of nutrition, hydration, form and not to mention just running.

So I am going to listen to my body and run faster when I feel like my body is calling for it and take it easy overall on the long runs and this will allow me to enjoy the run a little more as well.

*I also have changed my stretching a bit, I was very tight and had deep soreness through weeks 7-9 and I decided I was stretching to hard and not consistent enough so this last week I started stretching almost every night and briefly after my runs. I stretch very lightly and added in a short hip routine I found on YouTube for Ultra-Marathoners. So far this week the deep soreness is gone and I have felt much, much better.

PS. Next week is my fund raiser run if you have been thinking about getting involved but haven't contacted me yet or if you want to pass the info on to anyone else it's all laid out under the "make a difference tab" on this blog.