Friday, January 3, 2014

Built in Rest Weeks

I'm always learning something new.....this week I realized with the aggressive (for me) schedule I've have in place, I need to build in light weeks. Not so much that I had a light bulb moment, more like my body demanded rest this week. I had a 30, then a 34, and was hoping for a 36 mile week this week to hit 100 miles in 3 weeks, totally random goal but once I saw I was set up for it I was stoked. However, both Monday and Tuesdays runs were really tough, my body just did not want to go. Both runs were a battle the entire way to keep going.  You know those runs where you make it a mile in and think, I can turn around now and have 2 miles, no just go one more, then you'll have 4...well if I go another .5 I'll have 5....and eventually you end up with your 10 miler done, but the whole thing was a mental battle and you end it drained??  Then the next day you have a 6 to get done, and you feel like you are dragging butt all the way through it and you're telling yourself you should have just bagged it and saved your energy because now you're going to have a stupidly slow run on your strava and it'll bring down all your averages, blah blah....and then you get done and it wasn't nearly as bad as you thought it was, maybe even a few seconds faster average than your normal runs. Wednesday was a rest day, Thursday was to be a 'time on feet' 3 hour run, but Emma saved me by asking to go for a hike, so we hiked around Curry Point and Rock City. Today....I got out of bed closer to lunch than breakfast.  Was supposed to be a 5 mile day. Headed out and had nothing...really, nothing in my legs.  I started up a climb and my calves locked up, really. I almost tipped over backwards. I ended up hiking the first 2 miles out, which are up hill, but usually very runnable. Then ran back in 2 miles and set a few pr's but man, it just felt awful.  Add to that insomnia started in the end of last week, then this week I've been totally drained, asleep early and waking up late w/no energy, and little appetite. In fact, the hubs and I were supposed to have date night Wednesday and see a movie I've really been looking forward to, but I was so tired I asked to just stay home (this never happens!!) I'll most likely get one more run in this weekend, but right now I'm sitting on 23 miles for the week, 11 less than last week, and 13 less than what I would have liked.
Now, I'm no genius or training Einstein, but I'm guessing I need to toss in a cut back week every 3 weeks?? Two building weeks and then a lower mileage/intensity week every 3rd week to give the body a break?  That's my new plan.
Anyway, that is how week 3 went. That and lots of time with the kids and hubs. He went back to work Thursday after a week and a half off, kids are home till Monday.
NO pics for this post, sorry about that.
Dad, I'm off to the post office!

4 comments:

  1. I AM GREATLY INSPIRED BY THE PROVE IT FOOTAGE. IT HAS HELPED ME ALOT WITH MY OWN RUNNING. I RUN PAIN FREE, HOWEVER IT IS THE NEUROPATHY PAIN IN MY FOOT AN HOUR AFTER I RUN. IT TENDS TO MAKE A COWARD OF ME. PROVE IT HAS HELPED ME A LOT SINCE I CAN TRIGGER AND STRETCH THE PAINFUL NEUROPATHY AWAY. DID YOU GET THE TEXT THAT WE GET TO GO FOR A LONG TRAIL RIDE IN RED WOODS. IN FACT THE STABLE IS CALLED RED WOOD STABLES. I CANT WAIT AND VAL IS SO EXCITED AS WELL.
    WE LOVE YOU ALL--DAD

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    1. Glad you like that video, I really get a boost from it, too!
      Got your message about the stables, left you a voice mail. We are all super excited, it will be so beautiful, and fun!

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  2. I totally feel ya. I am constantly battling between thinking I can do more than what I really can. It's really tough for me to take rest days, but sometimes I feel my body demanding rest days and I need to tell myself to go gentle on myself. But I have to tell myself that resting only makes me stronger to train harder! :)

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    1. Thanks, Micaela!
      I cut my losses this weekend with exactly that mind set...a little rest will bring me back stronger and ready to hit next week hard!
      We've been thinking about you guys a lot this past week!

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