Week of 7-13 Apr 08

No races this week and not an impressive training week either. Was looking at a 5K yesterday but I have this backlog of things to do at home...mostly yard work...and badly needed to do a 20 miler on Sunday, which was more important than running a race that I probably would do well and enjoy...it was being run at my favorite place for racing at Ft Story. Friday, I thought I could get my training in and still get some of the home stuff knocked out but life happens. I'm just in the middle of my elliptical and I get a message from my oldest daughter that she has locked her keys in the car and needs for me to go home and get the extra set of keys. I get her the keys but now I'm two hours behind but I decide to go ahead and finish my workout at the gym. Friday night I'm checking Saturday's weather and see that it's suppose to rain off and on most of the morning so figuring my Saturday yard work is a no go, I look to race the 5K instead. So I think...if it's raining...I will go run the race...if no rain...I will do my yard work. I wake up early Saturday morning to sun with some clouds and get back in bed and get some more sleep. I spend four hours edging, weed whacking, mowing and pulling weeds but am able to get most of it done before it starts to rain about 1:00. I take a shower and take my wife to pickup a bookshelf she has ordered and after grabbing a bite to eat out, get home and I realize that I haven't done my exercise for the Kindzia Streak yet! I still haven't missed a day since the New Year...actually my streak started the day after Christmas...and I'm not about to miss one now. I try to convince myself that the four hours of yard work should count for something...and this morning I was convinced that I had a real work-out yesterday because my legs, back and arms are sore today, and even got some sunburn on my neck...but I think it's lame to claim it so I went to the gym for my regular work-out.

Today I wake to do my long run. I am sore. My back is sore, my legs are sore, my neck is burned and even my arms are sore but I need to get my run in. I eat my breakfast and head out to the Dismal Swamp Trail with two bottles of water and a squeeze bottle of Gatorade. It is going to be sunny today and somewhat warm...in the 60's but I forgo stashing my extra bottle of water up the road like I normally do and just carry a bottle with me. I don't worry about a specific pace since all I want to do is get the 20 in at a nice easy pace since it has been a while for a longer distance than about 10 miles since Shamrock. The first mile is really easy...I figure about 7:30-8:00 mile pace...I didn't wear my watch. I don't see very many runners, which seems odd because next week is the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon and I expected a bunch of people trying the course out or getting their runs in. I do see a lot of cycle riders...recreational as well as racers. I get to the end of the trail and head back. The sun is shining, there is a small breeze, butterflies are flitting around and wild flowers are blooming. A pretty serene morning. I have been trying to conserve water and my eardrums start crackling and I know that I am getting dehydrated. I start swigging my water at a faster pace and at about the 10-mile mark I notice that I am really low on water...maybe about 2-3 good swigs left. I try to convince myself that there is plenty left for the 6.5 miles. Around mile 12, my water is gone and I feel some twinges in my left hams. I slow the pace down and about a mile later there's another twinge...not a good sign...most likely I need more electrolytes and all I had was water and I seemed to be sweating a lot more than usual. I nurse myself till I get to the entrance to the park and my truck...16.5 miles completed in 2:08 according to my trucks clock. I get my Gatorade from the truck and take that with me on my 3 mile loop the other way and have completed that by the time I get back to my truck again as well as having three cramping episodes on the loop. I get my last bottle of water out of the truck and I only have half a mile to go and it's not going to be easy with all the cramping. I finally make it out to the quarter mile mark and back with one more cramp hitting me at the turn around...but...I was finished now...the whole 20. It took me almost 3 hrs but I got it done. I had thought today would be a lot easier than it was. I think all the work yesterday took a lot out of me and affected me today.

My training week looked like this:
Mon: 8.1 miles run, 15 min Elliptical, 13 min Stairstepper
Tue: 31 min Elliptical, 37 min Cycle, 16 min Stairstepper
Wed: 8.1 miles run, 25 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Thu: 30 min Elliptical, 30 min Cycle, 12 min Stairstepper
Fri: 22 min Treadmill, 35 min Elliptical, 35 min Cycle, 16 min Stairstepper
Sat: 31 min Elliptical, 35 min Cycle, 13 min Stairstepper
Sun: 20 miles run at the Dismal Swamp Trail

Next Saturday is the Dismal Swamp Stomp Half Marathon.

Hope everyone is doing well and training is on track.
Have a good week!