A disjointed, yet satisfactory Monday

Today has unfolded exactly counter to how it was envisaged. Here is how:

1) I slept through my 5AM run... Strike one
2) Forgot my stocking cap, not realizing that fact until I was well away from the house and noticed that it would be a nice day for a stocking cap... ball, just a ball
3) In a moment of empowered redemption, I hopped off the bus at the rec center to 'take two' on my morning run. When I neared the entryway to the rec center it occurred to me that I didn't have the mandatory university identification card on me (it was in a different pair of pants back home - along with my stocking cap) to gain access to the treadmill... Strike two
4) Slightly disappointed by my second strike, I gathered myself and made a new plan. Mid-morning, after a couple of hours of work, I would run home and grab my Griz Card. This, of course, would kill two birds with one stone - it would make for a nice little 5 miler and would afford me the opportunity to retrieve my Griz Card for my afternoon workout... Home run


The run was great, really great. I retrieved my Griz Card as planned and got back to work, without incident. This Monday is back on track. I hope that your, the reader, Monday never hinted at derailment. (I apologize for the disjointed metaphors, but alas, the title of this post more or less required the inconsistency.)

Week's end

It feels great to have completed my training week (Saturday through Friday) by 7:30AM of Friday morning. Another solid week. I felt really strong on the bike this morning - this coming off of a challenging week. Here it is:

SA: 31/bike, lifting/core
SU: 35/bike, 4/run, core
M: 30/bike (hard effort/high cadence), lifting/core
TU: 4/run/core, 31/bike
W: 34/bike, core
TH: 4.5/run, 32/bike, core
F: 33/bike (high cadence, moderate heart-rate)

Week totals: 226/bike, 12.5/run

Consistency in training

This well-planned, cautious return to running after my broken foot has caused me to value consistency and structure in training. I have been sticking religiously to the every other day 4 mile run. Though on the off days I desire greatly (at first at least, not so much anymore, now appreciating the break) to run, I don't. Consequently, I am - wait for it - fluid and strong on my days on. This is a "no duh", of course. My body is able to rest, recover, etc., etc. This is the first time in my training life that I have lived out such a practice. That is, this is the first time I have ever factored rest into my weekly training. Now, I should say, that I am averaging 31 miles/day, everyday on the bike to supplement. Anyways, I am feeling great, truly great and really enjoying my runs on my days on.

Today, I accidentally went out at about 7-7:30 pace. I meant to take it slower, but didn't feel like I was pushing it at that pace. It felt like a casual stroll through the park, which it was. I can't wait to start running fast again. Next week, I will insert a 5 miler in there. It is good to be feeling good and balanced again. I am keeping my time to 14 hours a week of training - that is my cap. It is enough time to get some quality training in, but not so much as to detract from other equally important aspects of life.

Have good days.

Getting back on track

So, by a rather abstract effort equation that I contrived, I am getting back on track with my training - and not a moment too soon. The equation is simple; 1 mile of running at an easy pace is equal to 2.5-3 miles of stationary biking (2.5 for a hard effort and 3 for an easy). The factor for the stationary bike is based on calories burned/time elapsed per mile/perceived effort. By this standard my last week of training was a 93.2 mile week (87.2 effort on the bike and 6.1 real miles running). This week I will be crossing the threshold of 100. I can't say miles, because it really isn't. The effort factor, I guess it could be called. Regardless, it is based on running miles, so could be read as running miles. Of course, the virtue of the bike is it's low impact nature. Those equivalent effort miles on the bike fall well short of the true impact miles of running. The balance of running and biking miles will be slowly be shifting in favor of the running miles as I regain strength/confidence in my foot until I begin running, in earnest, in December. The effort factor, however, will remain relatively unchanged. I am at a tenable level right now and plan to maintain this at around 100-120 miles/week. Anyways, here is what my week has looked like thus far (in actual miles):

SA: 31/bike, lifting/core
SU: 35/bike, 4/run, core
M: 30/bike (hard effort/high cadence), lifting/core
TU: 4/run/core, 31/bike

Running miles

This last week of training saw some actual running. It was glorious! I cannot tell you how great it is to be comfortably striding on my feet again. The last week in training (in miles):

SA: 28/bike
SU: 33/bike
M: 28/bike (hard effort)
TU: 34/bike
W: 31/bike (high cadence) 3/jog

TH: 33/bike (easy)

F: 32/bike (hard effort, high cadence) 3.1/run

Totals: 218/bike, 6.1/running, 7 days of core

I am a runner

My podiatrist gave me the go ahead to begin running again. Yesterday, I jogged out a 3 miler. It was glorious. I took it nice and slow and had no problems with the foot. I will begin doing this every other day for a couple of weeks and begin to build longer runs into the every other day cycle. Also, yesterday, after work, I co-led a little running group of 2nd and 3rd graders at an area afterschool program. This program is to become a staple of my life. It was a blast. It is so great to be running and serving again. I had nearly forgotten what joy I get from both. Yeehaw!

SA: 28/bike
SU: 33/bike
M: 28/bike (hard effort)
TU: 34/bike
W: 31/bike (high cadence) 3/jog

I hope that everyone is having a great week.

The last three days

The last three days have seen some quality stationary bike training.

Saturday: 28 miler at a mid-range gear/high cadence (core/weight training)
Sunday: easy 33 miler (core/bands)
Monday: hard 28 miler high gear/high cadence (light core)

Training has been going really well. Though at this point, I am in much better shape to race on a bike than on my feet. That will all be changing soon. My plan as I get back to running - hopefully this week - is to of course introduce runs slowly, but to continue supplementing my training with stationary biking. I have come to see/experience the potential of low-impact/high intensity endurance rides. Lower mileage running? I do not think that my legs will object. More than the physiological benefits of supplementing my ultra training with low-impact work outs, the variety will be a counterweight to the psychological redundancy that running can become.