Weekly Training Blog March 30 to April 5, 2015 Sick.

Monday

PM definitely sick but not too bad, did bear hill 4.2 mile loop with Melissa and Uta in 28:33 hoping this would hold off getting any sicker. total 4.2 miles

XT whartons, YTI, ankle drills, rubber bands, eccentric calf raises.

Tuesday

Off Pretty sick could have forced it but a big bad killer cold right now would be the final nail in the coffin for boston.

XT whartons, rubberbands, ankle drills

Wednesday

Off sick

XT whartons, rubberbands, ankle drills

Thursday

PM I had parent conferences in the evening and didn't have time to go home and run and get back so I ran from school after the kids left.  Out and back road 8 miles, 49:58, only minimal coughing post run and though I felt very sluggish and a bit hot and cold it wasn't bad.  The only thing was post run my sciatic pain went through the roof.  Obviously I have some back issues and though thanks to yoga I rarely have any issues for some reason whenever I am sick I get really bad sciatica.  On this day it was not too bad until after the run then it was horrid.  I could barely breath during conferences. and then I got very very little sleep. not good. total 8 miles

XT whartons, rubberbands

Friday

Off felt about the same as yesterday but with the lack of sleep and how bad the sciatica was yesterday I decided to concede another day. 

XT whartons, rubberbands and 3 mile walk with dog.

Saturday

AM road 10 mile, 57:56, did first 5 with Uta in 28:40, slowed down a bit on my own for the 2nd 5. very windy but warmer, 40's.  Felt ok, not great, and sciatica didn't kick up after so that was a huge plus. total 10

XT whartons, rubberbands, ankle drills, wharton foot stretches, dog walk.  still pretty sick so opted out of yoga- going in a dehydrated state is not fun.

Sunday

8AM windy 13mph, about 39 degrees, cool with windchill. but there was a lot of melting the last few days so I was able to get on the North Andover Track, in all fairness they plowed it and if they hadn't it wouldn't have been fully clear but just plowing doesn't work in New England because you end up with an icy mess because of the high humidity-compairitively- So we wait for spring to come in as well.

anyway 5k warm up in 19:52, skipping warm up, light drills, strides, 200m in 31 then some jogging.  Also had to use 3 hurdles to hold back an inside lane gate that was being blown onto the track though by the last two laps of my workout the wind had knocked over all three hurdles and I had to go around the gate.  Did Aussie quarters (8x400m with steady 200m jog before every rep including the first one) did them 'marathon style aiming for only 70 on the reps and 40 to 42 for the recoveries.  Was surprised to be able to hit the paces with the wind which I would guess made it about 1 second per lap harder than the time shows.  Ran 14:50 which is pretty good for me even marathon style which favors my strengths and I get a faster overall time.  I felt very weak during the workout but other than that I didn't feel any effect from being sick.  It is unusual when I get sick for it to last less than a couple weeks so the days off and the light workout last Sunday paid off a bit though I really really wanted to be able to do a marathon workout today but based on how I felt after this one that would have been a really poor choice.

splits

200- 39.29

                 400-70.09  (1:49.38-600)

200-42.15                   (2:31.53-800)

                 400-70.31  (3:41.84-1200)

200-41.40                   (4:23.24-1400)

                 400-69.85  (5:33.09-1800)

200-41.80                   (6:14.89-2k)

                 400-69.94  (7:24.83-2400)

200-40.65                   (8:05.48-2600)

                 400-70.57  (9:16.05-3k)

200-42.18                   (9:58.23-3200)

                 400-71.24  (11:09.47-3600)

200-40.49                   (11:49.96-3800)

                 400-70.84  (13:00.80-4200)

200-40.87                   (13:41.67-4400)

                 400-69.18  (14:50.85-4800)

2k cool down in 7:40

Summary- Yup that sucked again.  I really would like to have at least one last marathon workout.  I realize that it is possible to race a marathon on fitness alone but it is a gamble and I'm not a gambler.  I have to make a choice now.  Accept the lack of recent marathon workouts and trust that I have enough specific work from earlier in the cycle and just go into my my normal two week taper or do either a 3/4 length or full length marathon workout during the week.  Marathon workouts after school are less than ideal but I'm not comfortable doing it 7 or 8 days out next weekend so that means Tuesday to Thursday this week. 

  The positive is that I'm quite fit.  The negative is I would really like to have had one or two more specific workouts more in the last month.  I'll talk more about goals in the next two blogs but as a general guideline I'm quite fit.  I have some concerns that I may not have done enough glycogen work to get to the finish hammering.  I may have done enough but it is close.  I am confident I have done enough long and strong work that I don't expect muscular fatigue to be an issue.  In the end my biggest concern is just where is the coordination right now.  I think on a good day I can hold it for 30k, which is how far it held at the Olympic Trials in '07 but I think it would take a great day to hold it much past that.  I fear a bad day where I have trouble at 15k or 20k.  So I will likely do a long run or two to focus on form even though I'm getting very close to race day.