Another Week in the Books

I have to admit that I am pleased to be in a decent mileage range, incorporating workouts, and still hitting faster than usual paces. While I am used to higher mileage than this, I have a new-found confidence with my faster paces. Hopefully, I will be able to keep it up as I keep progressing.

Next week is a cut-back week for me. It seems crazy to me to have another cut-back week already after just 2 50 mile weeks. But I think that was also a fundamental training flaw/habit I developed over the last few seasons. I hardly ever had a real cut-back week because I was always trying to squeeze in more miles. So I'm not sure my body ever properly recovered before it could take on new training demands to adapt to. I never really thought about it, because what glory lies in a light training week? Well, I think a lot, actually. Rest is important. Even if you are not hurt or feeling beaten down. And hopefully, my true recovery weeks this season will pay dividends as I continue to build and adapt.

Typically during training, my heart rate (both resting and in training) really starts to drop once I hit the 65 mile per week range. However, I have noticed a drop in my heart rate lately when I have been running. I haven't been taking my resting heart rate, so this morning, I put my HR on for a good 15 minutes before I actually put my sneakers to the streets. I wasn't expecting to see any great numbers given that I slept terrible on Friday night and then stayed up WAY too late Saturday night dancing the night away to Undercover. Add in a few glasses of wine, and, well, like I said, I wasn't expecting anything great.

Much to my delight, my resting HR was under 60. This is terrific. I am going to do a better job tracking it next week as well so I can see where I am really at. I am feeling optimistic, however. [As an aside, yes, I know I am *always* optimistic in training, that is just who I am --> deal.] :)

Onto the numbers! Here was my week:

M: rest / arms & abs

T: 50 minutes - 5.73 miles (8:46/152) / abs

W: 1:25:15 - 9.89 miles (8:38/166) + 4 x 100 meter strides. This was an interval workout at tempo pace - 12 x .25 miles/.25 recovery. This was a bit of a bomb, but I got it done.

R: 48 minutes - 5.63 miles (8:37/153). I was very happy to get this run in before the snow came! Also did arms & abs.

F: 80 minutes - 9.25 (8:41/did not wear HRM). The snow came and it was crazy windy and cold, so I hit the treadmill. I was scheduled for 4x100m striders, but instead did the last 5 minutes at goal marathon pace (7:47) / abs.

Sa: 40 minutes - 5 miles (8:34/did not wear HRM) - treadmill again.

Su: 2 hours; 20 minutes - 16 miles (8:49/159) - HR was a bit high and I was feeling my night out of dancing! It was a beautiful afternoon for a run though - 32 degrees and sunny at the start; although it was getting cold, windy and very icy when I finished!

Total: 51.7 miles; 7 hours, 29 minutes, 12 seconds

So that is almost the same mileage last week. Now, I head into a nice little recovery week. I also get to add in an extra quality workout with some MP miles. Bring it!