8/15-8/21: 33.64 miles
8/22-8/28: 46.15 miles
8/29-9/4: 21.5 miles
9/5-9/11: 46 miles
9/12-9/18: 46.11 miles
9/19-9/25: 8 runs, 49.67 miles
Mon: AM - 4 miles @ 7:52/mile - on treadmill w/ 1% incline - Stride rate was around 185-190
PM - 6.8 miles @ 8:01/mile - easy run w/ 140 avg heart rate
Tue: unplanned rest day
Wed: 7.5 miles total - 2 mile warmup, 6 x 800m @ 5k pace, 1.25 mile cooldown - 1st 800 at 2:59 (too slow) with last 5 between 2:50-2:52
Thu: 5.3 miles @ 9:11/mile - true recovery run not concerned with pace with avg heart rate of 125
Fri: 12.25 miles @ 7:57/mile - negative split run - 2nd half about 20 seconds per mile faster than 1st half - avg heart rate 140
Sat: AM - 4.02 miles @ 8:53/mile - recovery run with avg heart rate 129
PM - 5.2 miles @ 8:47/mile - recovery run with avg heart rate 134
Sun: 4.6 miles @ 7:06/mile - progressive run from 7:30/mile down to 6:45/mile with avg heart rate 154
Oops, I thought I had run 50 miles for the week, or else I would have run a little farther Sunday morning. Oh well, I'll round up for the week :)
The Wednesday workout was a lot more difficult than I had anticipated. I figured that would be a comfortable pace for me to run, but being that it was my first set of half mile intervals in a while, I was probably a bit overzealous. I could have done another one or two but they would have hurt bad, so maybe the pace was right in my wheel house.
Friday's long run was not as fast as I hoped. The plan was to take out the first half in a nice, comfortable 8:00/mile pace and come back around 7:30/mile. I ended up going out in 8:08/mile and coming back in 7:46/mile, however the pace coming back was very inconsistent (fast then slow, etc.). I had no energy to begin the run and kinda of sufffered through the whole thing.
As I think about it, I have been struggling through the last 3-4 long runs I have done as well as feeling a general state of fatigue throughout the weeks. I attributed this to a slight increase in intensity & volume and didn't think much of it. Now that I have thought about it a little more, something is not quite right. I plan on making a trip to the doctor tonight as I have an idea of what might be going on.
I can finally say that my volume is right where I want it to be. This week will be a cutback week to somewhere around 35-40 miles. Then, I plan to hang out at 50-55 for all of October. Additionally, I am going to continue to try and get in a tempo run and an interval workout in each week along with a set of strides or short hill sprints. Basically, I am using a nonperiodization approach for the next month as general base building to improve my overall fitness. I hope to jump into the Coal Creek Crossing (cross country race) on 10/9. Plus, I have to physical therapy appointments to continue to improve my body alignment.
As the month progresses, I will assess how I feel and think about putting together a tentative plan for the rest of the year. It's exciting to be back at this point!