Week 12 of Chicago Training

This week was not easy.  The head cold I felt coming on last week settled in pretty good mid-week.  It is not easy to run a peaking training week while exhausted and with a wicked head cold.  Of course, the head cold also caused some tummy issues, so many of my runs this week were challenging.  The good news, however, is that I was able to get everything (plus a little more) in.

The other big challenge for me this week was that my brand new Garmin 610 started malfunctioning.  By mile 3 of my runs, the heart rate functionality would drop off.  Suddenly the readings would drop from the 150s to around 55, which is obviously incorrect.  The GPS readings were jumping all over the place too.  I usually have it set on "lap pace" to keep an idea of my pace.  That worked great with my 305.  Well, this week the 610 was jumping around 25-30 seconds randomly (and not just at the beginning of the mile) when I knew I wasn't possibly fluctuating that much.  Oh, and add on top that the new, premium heart rate monitor strap was chafing me like crazy.  Even with a ton of Body Glide, I'd come back from a 6 mile run chafed, red and blistered.  Not good.

This is not me, but that IS what
the 610 did to me even with Body Glide!

Fortunately, I found out that my old 305 HRM worked with the 610 unit.  With the cooperation of the running store I purchased it from, I was able to return my 610 with HRM and exchanged it for a new unit without the HRM.  Hopefully, my problems with it are over.  I'll keep you posted.

With that, here are my numbers:

Monday is usually a rest day, but I was scheduled for a double on Wednesday and I knew I was busy Wednesday evening.  My legs were still a little sore from last weekend's 20 miler and it was warm out, but a nice 40 minute shakeout was just the ticket.  It actually felt great and it was nice to loosen up my legs a bit.  4.73 miles / 8:49 pace.

Tuesday I had my first round of strength intervals for the season.  10 minute warmup; 6 x 1 mile at 7:23 pace; .5 mile recoveries; 10 minute cool down with 4 striders.  This workout was hard.  Probably harder than it should have been.  I fought through it and got it done, however, and felt great afterwards.  11 miles / 8:18 pace.

Wednesday was an hour easy - 6.7 miles / 8:55 pace.

Thursday I was scheduled for marathon pace miles.  However, when I started my warmup, I could feel my head cold dripping down my throat and it was hard to breathe.  I decided to just run another hour easy and push off my MP miles for Friday in hopes I'd be feeling better.  6.6 miles / 9:00 pace.

Friday I wasn't feeling much better, but I decided to suck it up and put the miles in.  Workout was 10 minute warmup; then 6 miles at goal marathon pace (7:40); 10 minute cooldown.  The MP miles actually felt better than I had been anticipating, but my stomach revolted during the 4th mile, requiring a minor slow down and quick stop.  I then got back on pace.  Average pace for MP miles was 7:42 (close enough).  8.5 miles / 8:02 pace.

Saturday I had 75 minutes easy on tap.  I still wasn't feeling great, but I wasn't horrible either.  So I bumped it up just a notch to get in 10 miles / 8:53 pace.

Sunday was the big one: 3 hours. I woke up feeling better today cold-wise. Not 100%, but I definitely turned a corner. I went to bed early and slept in a little to prepare for this run. Good in theory, but had I known how warm it was going to be, I would have rethought that strategy.  It was 74 and overcast when I started and the first 12 miles were great. After that, the sun came out and heated things up very quickly. I stopped a couple of times during the last miles to let my HR drop. Stopped at home at 18 to refuel and it was 86 degrees. Pushed through the last 2.4 miles - it was 87 degrees and full sun at the finish. Ouch. Those last few miles were not pretty, but they are in the books. 

Total: 68 miles (9:51:38)

Next week is a cut back week!!  I am pretty sure I earned it!