First Full Week of 2012: 1/2-1/8

Mon: AM - 4.1 miles easy (7:45/mile)
PM - 9 miles with 5 mile tempo @ 6:20/mile

Tue: AM - 4.25 miles easy (7:52/mile) - on treadmill @ 1% incline
PM - 7.61 miles between easy/moderate (7:33/mile)

Wed: PM - 10.1 miles easy (7:47/mile) - on treadmill @ 1% incline

Thu: AM - 4.85 miles easy (8:15/mile) - hilly route
PM - 8.85 miles with 12 x 200m (36-38 seconds) with 2:00 minute recovery jogs

Fri: AM - 4.5 miles easy (7:50/mile) - on treadmill @ 1% incline

PM - 8.23 miles easy (7:34/mile)

Sat: AM - 12.52 miles easy (7:44/mile) - negative split run

Sun: AM - 5.04 miles slow (8:11/mile) - recovery run
PM - 7 miles easy (7:40/mile)

Weekly Totals: 12 runs, 86.05 miles
Yearly Totals: 14 runs, 97.17 miles

This week officially kicked my rear end!  I was so tired throughout the week, and my body was continually sore.  I was never in pain, but I had some minor tweaks during the week that would pop up and then disappear just as quickly as they showed up.  I did not stretch, foam roll or use the stick as much as I should have.  I plan to remedy that immediately.

The tempo run I did on Monday went surprisingly well.  I was able to run at a faster pace than anticipated.  I should explain that I did not change my perceived effort, I kept it at about a 7-8.  I thought this would equate into 6:24-6:26 pace, but I surprised myself.  The conditions were near perfect (a little wind), which certainly helped.  Maybe I have just gained a little fitness with the two weeks of tempo & interval work I have done.

The interval workout Thursday felt pretty good.  It was strictly a neuro-muscular workout in the sense that all I wanted to do was run within myself but fast.  The purpose of doing so is to improve running economy and become more efficient.  I was able to perform the repetitions a little faster than the last time I did the workout about 3 weeks ago.  It always feels good to run fast, especially when you get full recovery!

My long run on Saturday still showed that my endurance is weak.  It also showed me that my body is physically tired.  This is exactly how I expected to feel at this point.  I am running a lot in terms of frequency with the doubles.  But, I am not currently doing a lot of endurance type runs (1 hr or more, progressive runs over an hour).  This is what I am building up to in the next four to six weeks.

I have said it before, and I will say it again, this is right where I want to be!  I will spend the next 4-6 weeks improving my general aerobic endurance.  Then, I will shift the next 6-8 weeks to race specific training.  This is a nice abbreviated training cycle to see how my body physically reacts to the various stresses/stimuli I place upon it.