Officially Summer

I am having the best week. Yeah, I bonked out on a run on Wednesday, but I learned a good lesson. I ran a great track workout on Monday night, had a nice easy trail laced run, a nice 10 mile run, and I have been doing some easy biking everyday with my kiddos. I need to make sure the next 3 weeks are filled with nutrients, rest and easy days. I am excited to hit those big key runs coming up with all my might. I am in the groove and loving it right now.

Me Bonk You Long Time

Last night I experienced the most intense Bonk of my life. Definition of Bonk: The feeling of weakness caused in a drop in blood sugar during extended physical activity. Also know as 'the sags', 'the knock' and 'hit the wall, hitting the wall'. I have been having issues with managing my nutrition and 9 miles into my 13 mile run I ran head first into a wall. This normally does not happen on a run of this length but I was not prepared to go on a medium distance run on a reduced calorie diet. I made the mistake of thinking that my 10k training cycle required far less carbohydrates than my previous 25k training cycle did. I guess I was wrong. Normally I would be feeling crushed by a failed run and having to walk the last 3 miles, but in reality I feel pretty good about what happened. The writing is on the wall so to speak, and every opportunity I have to learn a major lesson I need to listen carefully. In 6 weeks when marathon training begins and the medium distance runs become a little longer and the 3 hour long distance runs begin I am going to address this issue like a scientist. If I am going to successfully run 26 miles, I am going to have to learn how to train my body to efficiently use energy and also how to properly eat on the run. Now for the good part.. I ran the first 10k a little bit slower than MP, and felt so strong in the hills that I ran a negative split for the last 3 miles of that section. The track sessions and the higher threshold training have been working. All this track work is going to make me a better long distance runner. Here is to learning how to eat. Here is the first part of the run followed by the bonk.. This is what a bonk looks like This is what the other 6.2 looked like

I'm Back

Last night I ran my first workout in weeks where I felt like I was back to 100%. 2 miles @ 6:07 pace followed by 3x1 mile @ 5:55 - 6:06 pace. My workout called for 4x1mile but I got a late start and was running out of daylight by the forth repeat. After last week, I am happy to be able to finish a workout without feeling exhausted and defeated. I am inching closer to getting my stride back. I can feel my stride becoming comfortable, more natural and effortless. I have been feeling clunky for the last year or so. I think the weekly track workout really helps sort out issues with my body mechanics. I am also getting closer to running the prediction times that point towards my goal pace. I have almost 4 weeks left of the 10k training cycle and hope to hit a post 35 pr at the Reeds Lake Run at the end of the month. If this happens I will be thrilled, If not, I have to realize that I can only improve so much in a season and to take it all in stride.

Feeling Flat

I don't know what it is but I have been feeling flat all week. I am finding it really difficult to recover from Monday's 5k and have missed quite a bit of training this week. We did have a virus go through our family, one that I thought I avoided. My legs are mushy, and I need to get back to work soon. I have decided to make the Reeds Lake 10k at the end of the month my final 10k for the season. My reason being that I am going to get into the pool, and onto my mountain bike for two weeks before I start marathon training in the middle of July. I need a real rest before I start running all those miles again. My body has been cooperating with me for the last 16 months and now I think I need to give it back a little love. One month to go. I did go and do a modified track workout on Saturday a 2400 1000 800 400 CD ladder just to get in some turn over. I felt pretty good but it was hot and I really did not want to push myself. Back to business as usual starting on Monday. For sure.

Time To Get SERIOUS

Racing in the heat does not do much for me. I did not expect to run a PR in the 90 degree Chicago heat, so before I even started to race I chalked this run up as a training workout. One thing that I gained from this weekend was that I am in better shape than I thought I was. As I watched Hs cross country boys pass out and vomit 1 and a half miles into the race (we were only running 6:20 pace) I realized that I have built a pretty strong and stable running base in the last 4 months. PRs come on perfect days following perfect weeks of training. I have to remember that you sometimes need to look deeper into your runs and see other goals that are being met. The heat, and running in the heat has always been a problem for me. I know this, so I am starting to run one of my runs per week at the heat of the day. One of my goals for the summer is to learn to embrace the heat, and try to understand how my body runs in the heat and not always be trying to master it. Its like learning to run at a faster pace, if you don't train at sub 6 minute miles you are never going to run sub 6 minute miles. I am trying to condition myself to stop thinking about the PR as much as thinking about having the best run for the given conditions. Today also marks the beginning of Time to get serious mode. I have cut my mileage for the past 2 weeks since River Bank and now its time to start slowly building it back up so that in July I can start my high mileage marathon training with a good base. Next up, the Reeds Lake 10k June 30th.

HOT

If you ever hear me crazy talk about how I am going to race in 90 degree heat punch me in the face and remind me how bad today hurt. First of all I came in 36th, had to drink water at every water stop, crossed the street multiple times to run under sprinklers, looked like total formless shit, had no kick, ran slower than my 10k pace (and still had no kick)... In the end I was almost 3 minutes off my PR. We will call this a training run.

10k Week 2 (8 days until Race #2)

I am racing more this summer than I normally would do. I would like to run 3 more 10ks this summer before I switch over to the longer marathon specific training in July. Yesterday I completed my first full week of 10k specific training. I ran one of most brutal long runs of my life. 18 miles in 90 degree heat pushed my body to the edge. The first 11 miles were no problem, but after my glycogen stores ran out I became a weak mess. Im still no good past 90 minutes, but we will start to address that in our marathon training. This week I am going to do my normal track workout on Monday, a medium easy run on Wednesday with some strides on Saturday leading up to the Memorial day 10k. Historically this race is hot and humid so I am going to shoot for a relaxed, evenly pace race with the hopes of bringing my post 35 pr down only a couple of seconds. I will have 30 days to sharpen myself up for the following race where I plan to run a giant pr. But, as things go, you never know what is going to happen on any given day. My nutrition is going to be a huge factor in my training this summer. I am going to focus on giving my body exactly what it needs to perform at a higher level. I have to do whatever I can to give myself an edge here. I am trying to rest, stretch, eat well, hydrate and train the best that I can do. Here is how the week went down: Monday Workout - 11 400m @ 5:30 -6:02 pace w/ 200m recovery jog. No stopping.. I feel comfortable at 5:45 pace for this workout. I love and hate this workout.. Having only a 200 meter jog to recover makes this harder than you would think. 1.25 Warm up / 1.25 Cool down Felt great.. A little hip tension but I think that is from being tired from the 18 on Saturday. My quads hurt.. I need to make sure I recover 100 percent from this workout before next week. Tuesday - Shakeout.. Trying to see if a 3 mile shakeout or rest helps me recover faster.. Running the day after a track workout is pretty much an uncomfortable affair. Anyhoo.. I did 3 and am feeling pretty good today. Going to do a medium run tonight and then do strides and sharpen up for Monday. Wednesday - A horrible 10k with the Striders group in 85 degreeish temps. I hate heat. I am reduced to pure crap in the heat. We all ran like total shit, barely holding it together at 7:45 pace. Come to find out we were under a bad air pollution day.. Go figure. I felt terrible all day. Maybe this is why. Trying to decide whether or not I am going to drop down to the 5k this weekend or stick to the 10k. Temps on Saturday are going to be 94 in Chicago so I can't imagine them being very good in the morning unless there is rain.. Run a balls out 5k? Maybe? We will see. Thursday - Day off with a drive to the country. Little lunch with my lady and girls.. A little porch sittin with friends at night maybe.. Nice.. Friday - Warm up - Strides at race pace cool down Beets?