week in training | 5.3 – 5.9

BIG mileage week, not exactly on purpose. I intended to reach 48-50 but with the onset of an unexpected weeklong quarantine from work, I was able to participate in the virtual Wings for Life World Run on Sunday, which would not have happened had I partaken in my shift as usual. The week upcoming I know I’ll have to readjust my goal and take a step back to 50-52, since I’m not quite accustomed to anything over that and don’t want to rush. Not to mention, the top of my right food started bothering me sometime at the end of the week. I’ve read this is likely due to my shoes, as there’s no pinpoint pain area, so a bit of extra TLC to my feets is in order.

Monday, 5.3: 11.02 miles, 10:32 pace + 45 min strength

Decent run despite the awful summer weather. No loving summer here. Enjoyed the strength session afterwards before a very long, tiresome day of work and home tasks. I DID get to eat part of a giant skillet cookie, however. Recipe for that is here!

Strength:

• 3 x 10 lunge with overhead press
• 3 x 12 curtsy lunge press-out
• 3 x 12 bench dip
• 3 x 12 alt side lunge to front raise
• 3 x 10 dumbbell swing
• 3 x 8 ea. bent over row
• 3 x 16 plank swivels
• 3 x 12 elevated bird dog
• 3 x 20 overhead leg lift
• 3 x 20 plank lateral taps
• :90 plank

Tuesday, 5.4: 8.06 miles, 10:55 pace + 2,200 yard swim (47:37)

I don’t heartrate train specifically because of summer. 11 minute miles are by no means too fast for me, yet my average heart rate was 161 bpm. I breathed through my nostrils a good part of the time – the humidity and dew point are just beyond logic down here. Not a fun morning session, but I still managed to work past the perpetual summer running dejection and fit in a quick core series: 3 x 10 ea. leg extensions, 2 x 50 flutter kicks, and 3 x 20 toe touches.

Wednesday, 5.5: 15.09 miles, 11:00 pace + 1,800 yard swim (40:35)

I lamented over this long run for quite some time. It was very hot, around 78, with a 74 dew point, and muggier by the end due to a random bout of approaching rain. I spoke with a coach I hired for my Big Sur bid two years ago and the mystery behind why my runs pattern the way they do gave me a huge lightbulb: I might be more of a fast-twitch runner! The higher heart rate, slower endurance paces compared to my workouts, and even my muscle composition all point to a larger percentage of fast twitch. Of course, this is largely theoretical, but it made me feel so much better knowing these vast variations between my different paces have a concrete reason.

Legs were a bit snotty about the swim, but it was steady and loosened them up nicely. I averaged 2:02/100 yards and a 43 SWOLF.

Thursday, 5.6: 6 miles, 10:58 pace + 30 min strength + 2,000 yard swim (43:42)

Exceptionally horrible morning, worse than yesterday, yet my legs and lungs were completely fine with it! Maybe the margarita the prior night? 4 min run/1 minute walk split for 65 minutes, average 154 BPM.

After work swim wasn’t exactly refreshing since the pool was super hot, bordering uncomfortable. I swam 4 sets of 100-50-150 and averaged 1:55/100 yards and a 42 SWOLF.

Strength:

• 4 x 10 triceps dip
• 4 x 12 ea. hip dip
• 2 x 8 weighted pushup, 1 x 10 bodyweight
• 4 x 10 dumbbell drag
• 4 x 8 ea. single leg squat
• 3 x 10 OH press
• 3 x 30 v-up
• :30 hollow rock hold

Friday, 5.7: 45.37 miles, 22.7 mph cycling (2:00:00) + 2,200 yard swim (45:00)

Informed yesterday that I’d be out of work the next 10 days, so I decided to kick off that random spare time with an extra long endurance ride. Extra long compared to usual, I should say. I like seeing that my usual wattage over 60-75 minutes extends to a 120 minute ride. I threw in 5 x sprint and hit new 1 and 2 second power bests! Average was 130W for the whole thing.

Swim after breakfast to enjoy an unusually cool morning. I mixed up my intervals in sets of 300s and averaged 1:57/100 yards and a 42 SWOLF.

Saturday, 5.8: 8.9 miles, 9:33 pace + 45 min strength

10 x 400 for the weekly speedwork bank. I didn’t set paces at all but proved very consistent anyway despite a hefty 20mph headwind during the second half! Interval splits were 1:50, 1:48, 1:48, 1:48, 1:45, 1:48, 1:47, 1:48, 1:46, 1:45, which all correlate to a 7:03-7:28 pace.

Strength:

• 3 x 6 SL deadlift
• 3 x 6 underhand row
• 3 x 8 ea. side lunge
• 3 x 5 clean and press
• 3 x 10 swings
• 3 x 12 bench leg lifts
• 3 x 10 ea. standing oblique lifts
• 3 x 10 ea. side plank toe taps
• 3 x 8 ea. single leg squat

Sunday, 5.9: 6.49 miles, 10:01 pace – Wings for Life World Run Virtual!

I was in a crummy mood when I woke up, for no real reason, but some of that receded once we got to our Wings for Life route! One of J’s friends joined us, and we ran together for 10k – unheard of for me to consent to running with someone. We chatted away about the past several months of pandemic hermit life and it made the majority of my race time whiz by. I don’t think running with company will be habitual for me but I did enjoy it this time, and found her pretty easy to stride alongside with no pressure to speed up or slow down.

Total running mileage: 55.6

Total cycling mileage: 45.4

Total swimming yardage: 8,000