[S]he Conquers Who Endures

90 mins of bikram. This did not feel nearly as hot as usual. Maybe my long run in FL on Saturday made me more heat acclimated! 

4 "easy" miles at 9000 ft elevation in Dillon, CO. It ended up being a little faster than my normal recovery pace: 9:05 min/mi. The elevation didn't seem to hit me as much as everyone else in my party!

Then we hiked ~1.6 miles of the Continental Divide. So, so gorgeous!! 

This wasn't a 14 mile long run as scheduled, but I count it as 14 miles because it was at 10,000+ ft elevation with a TON of elevation gain. We ran up the trail that goes past the Sally Barber Mine in Breckenridge. Thank goodness for heart rate monitors! I tried to run slow, but with the climbs my heart rate got up to 89% max! I'd walk up the steep inclines once my hr got up too high then ran down the declines. I decided I love trail running!!! I need to get some real trail shoes and figure out how to incorporate it into my training. Average HR: 78% max for 1 h 50 mins.

AM: 10 miles in Chi town. Feeling pretty good after my runs in CO. I decided to turn my 10 mile aerobic run into an aerobic run with some McMillian steady state paces. Started out easy pace and dropped the pace each mile, then the SS paces were: 7:42, 7:38, 7:38 and cooled down for 2 more miles. I went in planning on targeting 7:45s for my steady state, but these paces just felt good. :)

Finished up with a crossfit mini WOD: 10 rounds of 10 airsquats, 10 pushups, 10 sit-ups, then did some more strength, core, and PT exercises.

PM: Flywheel spin class!!! I know this is a lot in one day, but I'm justifying it because I'm trying to change my workouts to better distinguish easy/hard days. Also, I can't do this spin class in Boston and I absolutely love it. I went in toning it down, but with a third of the class left I caught up to the girl in second place. Dangit, I had to push it and beat her by 1 power unit. I'm not so sure she was as happy about that as I was! :)

5 miles recovery following my hr. Normally this would be 9:15 min/mi ap, but to keep my hr just below 76% max, I had to keep it closer to 8:45s. :)

Finished up with 1 hour waterjogging intervals at the Harvard pool with an injured runner. She wanted to hear my story of recovering because she is missing some big weeks of training leading up to the Chicago marathon. She said I really motivated her! That feels really good.  

8 miles running with the Cambridge running club girls. 8:20s felt hard at first but then felt easy towards the end. It was so nice to have company!

Immediately after the run, hopped on the bike for 20 mins and finished some weights and PT. Not as much as Monday because my glute med is acting up! I'm pretty sure this is the repercussions of the long trail run on Saturday. It's the same feeling I had after running in the snow post-Nemo, so although it's frustrating to hurt, it's comforting to know the reason. 

AM: bikram. My glute med is definitely angry. Hoping it will simmer soon!

PM: got some nice deep tissue work and a semi-analysis of my walking gait. My arches are super rigid which could have been the cause of my stress fracture since my feet won't roll in slightly. Massage guy also gave me some better glute med strengthing exercises besides bandwalks and clams. I guess those work your muscle contracted, so he gave me additional exercises that work the glute med elongated in multiple planes. I'll add that to my toolbox! 

4 easy miles. I decided to throw in 5x0.1 mile strides since I haven't been doing them like the schedule says to do. I have no idea what my paces were because I forgot to look at my watch. I will say, I can see big improvements because I actually ran some of these on the CEMENT sidewalk!!! Definitely no longer jarring to do these. :)

Immediately hopped on the bike, dropped the resistance to keep a faster cadence and biked for 1 hour. Got caught up on Big Brother before work while keeping max hr around 67% max. Zone 2! 

15 mile long run in Cambridge with the CRC girls. My right glute has been getting very angry with me, it has been a challenge to even walk. I was very worried about this run, but the girls were running slower than I expected and I seemed to be able to run a little faster than I thought I could with the pain. The pain subsided a bit during the run so I figured it was okay to finished. AP was 8:39 min/mi, not so exciting but my longest run since injury. My last two miles I ran alone and hit 8:17 and 8:10 not paying attention to my pace. Ha. 

Treated my body to an ice bath, which seemed to have calmed a lot of the pain in my glute down. 

90 mins waterjogging with an injured friend. We did a 20 min wu, then 1, 2, 3, 4 and 3x5 min hard with equal recoveries. Then cd. I forgot how nice intervals waterjogging feel. I started to feel like I was in marathon training mode after hitting 15 miles yesterday, and was kinda bummed I couldn't run today. This definitely made up for it!

I had a great conversation with my friend. She thinks I need to get back to track. I have been hesitant because it seems like I still have had only 1 or 2 runs without pain for the past 2 months. I don't understand why things hurt so much when my intensity is so low. Maybe I'm doing too much at one pace? I'm thinking I will try a fartlek this week to see how my body reacts. I have always improved drastically when I did one tempo and one fartlek a week. I'm so ready to get back to killing my workouts like I did in Feb/March!! 

A solid recovery run keeping the hr below 76% max at 9:35 min/mi AP. Failed! I hit 76% max...weird. 

Hopped on the bike for an easy 30 mins at 60% max hr. Then met up with my work people for a lab outing. I kayaked for 3 miles total! Wahoo! First time ever, it was kinda fun.

Then met up with my injured friend to chat it up waterjogging for 1 hour easy. 

AM: 10 mile fartlek run! I flopped my schedule this week because two girls were running my workouts Tues/Thurs. So today I tried 10x1 min on/off. This was my first "speed" workout since April! We were supposed to do the 1mins at 10k pace. I couldn't keep track of time and pace, so just ran with my friend and watched the time. We averaged 6:40 min/mi! My fastest was 6:23 min/mi. I know it's only one minute, but this felt really, really good. My glute is not hurting as much at faster paces. I'm glad I tested the waters! It was just the right amount of kick, my legs were shaking pretty bad from fatigue on the last interval. Finished up with a mile at recovery pace (9:24), the glute wasn't happy so did one mile at 8:07, then 8:51, then 8:04 to compromise recovery and my glute. :)

Did 45 mins of strengthening and got to add in some new exercises my massage guy recommended for my glute med. :) 

PM: 65 mins waterjogging with my injured friend. We did a short wu, then a ladder workout: 1/2/3/4/5/5/4/3/2/1 mins hard with 1 min recoveries for each, then a short cd. This was nice and hard! Waterjogging intervals is so much fun with a friend.

Bikram. It's a recovery day for me! I need it. My legs are starting to feel a bit better too! This class was hotter than normal because I sat in the front. I crushed toe stand on both sides so my balance is getting better which also means my feet are getting stronger!! I think gaining more of this type of strength in my right leg is the ticket to get all these stinky pains that keep popping up at bay. Glute is feeling much better, stupid new calf thing is there from yesterday's on/off, but not too noticeable. Hopefully that will be remedied by resting the rest of the day and sporting my compression socks! Nervous about tempo tomorrow, but also kinda excited. :)

AM: Threshold run with a new friend in Cambridge. Ahhh, these scare me so much because I haven't done very many of them yet. We were on a high traffic route, boo, and I wasn't sure where we were going - not ideal for tempo. The first couple miles were slower than I'd like but ended up kinda like a tempo progressive run: 7:22, 7:21, 7:15, 7:17, 7:07 for an AP of 7:16 min/mi. My last tempo was 4 miles at 7:15 min/mi. I would have liked to beat that, but I could not have run another step for that tempo and this tempo I felt like I had another mile in me if I needed to push it. 7:07 is now my fastest mile post injury. These Cambridge girls are really getting me amped up to crush my training!

Got back and did a mini Crossfit WOD I made up: 10 mins as many rounds as possible: 2, 4, 6, 8, ... reps of box jumps, burpees, kettle bell swings. I got so winded in this!!! Made it to 14 reps box jumps, 8 reps burpees. No me gusta burpees. :)

Did some PT, strength and core.

PM: Flywheel in Chicago!! I kept the effort a little lower for this class, and stuck to the lower end of torque and higher end of RPM. I am a Flywheel addict. Once the fast music hits and the instructor yells to hit 100 RPM, I drop my head, pump my legs, close my eyes and feel the endorphins wash over me. So amazing. 

5 easy miles keeping things loose. Headed north on the Chicago lakefront path scoping out all the action in preparation for the air and water show at a lovely 9:19 min/mi average pace.

16 miles on the Chicago lakefront path heading south bright n early. I was terrified for this run. Crying was involved the night before. It is my first long run post-injury with MP miles - 10 of them! I don't know what MP to target. I think I could hit a 7:45 min/mi AP (hopefully) by November, but not so sure I could run 10 of them now! I headed out targeting a 8:30 min/mi pace for the first 5 miles. The first mile was over 9 min/mi!! At this point I seriously doubted things. I had a very solid/tough training week, maybe I should do fewer MP miles or push back the MP a week? Things started loosening up after a mile or so. I stopped at mile 5, gu'ed then went after the big 10! I was able to hang on the first couple miles just under 7:45 min/mi. I didn't think I could hang on for 10, but thought I'd use the same strategy I used for the half: just see how far I could take it. I was able to make it 5 miles at MP, stopped very shortly to take a pic of the gorgeous city skyline, and gu'ed. Then finished up the last 5 miles of MP!!! The cool down mile was enjoyable and well deserved. Looking back at my paces. My MP miles ended up being 7:41 min/mi AP! The last two miles were 7:38, 7:39 and the 2nd 5 miles were faster than the first 5 miles of MP. I cannot believe this!

I got back to the apartment and my fiance looked at me like a deer in the headlights and said "why are you back so soon?". Cause I ran fast, lovie! :) That felt good to see the shock on his face, it was confirmation that I rocked that run!

Then, took 1 giant ice bath after trashing these legs! 

AM: Prana hot yoga with a running friend. This was my first class. I have been having major tweakage behind my right knee - of course the leg I had the stress fracture in! This class was just what I was looking for, very restorative, and came out feeling like I was massaged. :)

4 mile easy run staying below 76% max hr, averaged 8:52 min/mi. I felt really good and bouncy. My behind the knee tightness/pain subsided to practically nothing during the run. I finally realized at the end of last week all these tweaks in my right leg are a result of poor balance in that foot. I am now adding more balancing exercises more frequently to get that back! 

PM: 1 h easy waterjogging with a friend. This one helped work out my behind the knee kink. 

8 miles with 4 at threshold pace and 8x30 secs on/off. Frustrating tempo miles. :( I met up with the Cambridge girls for this one. One of them mentioned the day before they would be doing 7:15-7:30 pace. Wrong! I tried to keep up, but they were hitting sub 7 the first mile and dropped me. I ended up going out too fast because I tried to hang with them, so the last three miles were pretty sloppy. Splits were: 7:10, 7:30, 7:22, 7:23 for AP: 7:21 min/mi. This is slower than my AP for last weeks 5 mile tempo (7:16 min/mi). I am starting to get frustrated. I want to be back at sub 7 AP for tempo like I was before injury. It feels like I'm stagnating now. I'm hoping today's slower pace is a result of my hard week last week and Saturday's 10 MP miles. This week is supposed to be a recovery week for me. 

My 8x30 secs on averaged 6:18 min/mi. Finished up with some PT and core. Did a lot of focus on hip and ankle stability work.

I'm thinking of dropping the 5 mile race on Friday. I don't think it makes sense after seeing how fatigued my legs were on today's run. I'm thinking it might be smarter to do 3-4x0.5 mile repeats later in the week. I'm wondering if I need some faster intervals to get my legs going.

On the bright side, this run was more about fatigued legs and not some tweaks in my right leg that seem to have been popping up so frequently. Glute and behind the knee pain are virtually gone! 

PM: 70 mins waterjogging. Wu, then ladder: 1,2,3,4,5,5,4,3,2,1 mins hard with 1 min easy, cd.

8 easy miles. I'm not sure why I thought running from Cambridge towards Newton on Commonwealth Ave in Boston would constitute an "easy" run, but I wore my heart rate monitor and didn't pay attention to my watch most the way. Then after one monster ascent up a hill I peaked at my watch as it hit a one mile split: 8:23? I just tried to keep my average hr in "aerobic zone". I maintained 78% max and hit sub 8 for a couple miles towards the end. I think hill work was just what my body ordered. I'm pretty sure I'm recruiting more muscles towards the end because the end just felt so easy...and fast!

I'm not sure how I pulled a 8:33 min/mi AP for this one after yesterday's hard tempo. My legs are definitely fatigued and this is supposed to be recovery week. I'm thinking I need to nix some of this extra crosstraining tonight and tomorrow night to rest up!

Feeling a little better after yesterday. :) 

AM: bikram. This was abnormally hard. I think I found the hottest, hottest room in the class! Plus, this is recovery week for me so I think I'm feeling last week's hard effort. My body feels so dead tired, but I think this is the first week I've felt consistently injury-free!!! I think dialing up the intensity and running faster paces is helping by allowing me to hit a more natural gait. :)

PM: 1 hour waterjogging. wu, then 10x2 mins hard, 1 min easy, cd. 

5 recovery pace miles on the dirt path along the Charles River testing out my new trail shoes before tomorrow. AP: 9:27 min/mi

Hopped on the bike immediately after for 20 mins. Averaged 71% max hr. Got to test out my new Garmin sensor on my bike! I now know my average speed: 15 MPH and average cadence was: 86 RPM. Gotta get that cadence up a hair!

12 trail miles for my recovery week. Umm, I don't think this consistutes a recovery week long run. 12 miles of trail running was way harder than 15 miles of road running. Total ascent: 979 ft!! Fell halfway through my run, scrapped up my knee and hand and bruised up my other hand and wrist. Now I feel like a real trail runner!!! This was actually a lot of fun. I'm dreading what it will do to my upcoming tempo this week though! AP: 9:51 min/mi

7 miles recovery run AP: 9:22 min/mi. I was supposed to run tempo today but the fatigue in my legs was pretty bad, my energy levels were low, and I was not up for fighting the wicked head wind. After my bad tempo last week, I really need a good tempo this week. I'm hoping the trail run Saturday didn't mess that up. I'm not sure why it's taking so long to recover. I took a complete rest day yesterday, have been eating cleaner than the virgin Mary, have been resting and wearing compression gear. I'm worried something is up with my blood levels. Maybe this celiac thing isn't under control like I thought. Ugh, gonna work from home today to rest up. My resting hr was up yesterday morning and today (47 BPM, normally it's around 42 BPM). I scheduled a dr's appt for Wed, but need to get an awesome tempo in tomorrow! Do the trails really leave you that fatigued?

Another failed workout. Something is definitely wrong. I tried to hit my tempo today after an easy day yesterday. First mile was 7:21, the second was somewhere around 7:35. Then 0.5 mile into the third I couldn't break 8s so I shut it down and walked. The rest of my run consisted of trying to jog but hardly able to break 10 min/mi pace and having to walk. I ate a protein bar right away, then started getting pain in my chest and lightheadedness. I had a drs appointment for tomorrow to address this fatigue, but decided I needed to go to urgent care. Got blood work drawn hopefully I will find the answer soon. Now I am losing vision everytime I stand up. Not sure if that's from drawing blood. Pushing water, and called the dr. Dr. said my CBC was normal. Ugh, hopefully some of the other tests will find something. Day 3 of sitting on the couch.

I really don't think I'm overtraining. My mileage is so low and I've been eating super clean and consistently get 7-9 h sleep per night. I don't know...

AM: 5 easy miles trying to keep my hr below 140. The beginning felt really, really hard because of the fatigue even though my hr was low. My legs perked up towards the end. AP 9:35 min/mi

So the dr couldn't find anything wrong and could not explain my fatigue. My thyroid was slightly low, and my ferritin was 56 ng/mL. Not too low, but I'm reading an article that says for endurance athletes it should be higher than 60 and elites target 70 -100. I know I'm not elite but maybe it would help to bring it up? I don't know what any other explanation would be. They checked my heart (no mumur), oxygen in blood (98%), EKG was normal, CBC normal, no lyme's, normal B12. I'm no longer losing vision when I stand at least!

PM: 3 miles easy. Pulled out the old Pegasus. I know I'm grasping for straws but I started getting fast when I ran in Pegs, then my running world seemed to fall apart once I switched to 4 mm drop shoes. AP staying below 140 bpm: 8:59 min/mi

7 easy miles again staying below 140 bpm. AP: 9:15 min/mi. A running friend suggested I reached overreaching or overtraining. If that's the case, I'm hoping for overreaching which would mean if I take it easy the next few days I should feel better next week. I'm thinking my resting heart rate supports this?:

Week I felt good and suspect I pushed too hard:

42, 45, 43, 45 (5 mile tempo), 42, 47 (nervous about run, 10 MP miles) AVG: 44

Week I was supposed to be recovering:

44, 46 (4 mile blah tempo w speed), 46, 39, 42 (12 mile long run on trails 979 ft gain), 47 AVG: 44

Week I tanked completely:

47, 47 (failed tempo), 44, 46, 47 AVG: 46.2

I surlely don't know, but at least I am able to run now.

Resting HR: 43

Was planning on 10 miles easy to cap off my fatigued week at 40 miles keeping some road on my bones. 1.5 miles in at a slow 9:25 min/mi AP, the alarms went off in my head and I shut down. The slow pace did not feel comfortable and I couldn't stomach sustaining that for 10 miles, while not enjoying the run. I went into panick mode and called my fiance and discussed how it seems like I'm just not enjoying running anymore. It's true. It seems I have been waiting for something to kick in, for a switch to spontaneously flip and then things will be easier. I decided to walk home. I hate running 9:25s and it just makes my hamstrings hurt. 

Then I had an epiphany. What I enjoyed about my training in Feb/March was the rush of doing intervals on the treadmill and track and feeling exhilirated the rest of the day. I have only done 1 session of 10x1 min on/off since April and no other interval sessions since April! My first few tempo runs went well, but then they started feeling so exhausting to do repeatedly for that length of time (35+ minutes).

I decided to grab for one last straw on my walk back home. I wanted to repeat a super old workout from the Runner's World Intermediate training plan: 1 mile MP, 400 m recovery, 2x800 m @ 10k with 200 m recoveries, 4x200 m @ 5k with 200 m recoveries. I went to the treadmill I had trainined on during the winter when training was fun and the roads were slick with ice and snow. I did a 0.5 mile wu, then went for the workout. The first mile: 7:41 it felt harder than when I did 10 miles of that pace a few weeks ago, my chest felt constricted but I kept going. Then the 0.5 mile repeats were at 6:53 min/mi pace which is the fastest/longest I've done since April.  I thougth the last sets were 400s but kept my phone on with the workout and was kinda shocked I only had 200s left. I hit those: 6:39, 6:37, 6:31, 6:22 min/mi pace. I actually was trying to think of other intervals to through in there because I had more in the tank. 

At this point I'm really confused with what's going on with my body. The fatigue was truly there, not mental and I still feel it a bit. Don't think I'm crazy, but I have this two system energy theory. Do we have an endurance system and a speed system? I know I have probably worked my endurance system to death with all the cross-training and low intensity runs. It seems like my speed system is ready to be worked. 

I don't know if that's possible. My new strategy is to forget about the Philadelphia Marathon. I plan on forgetting about my mileage and start throwing back in more interval speed/tempo running and just find the fun again. I wasn't so bummed about my stress fracture initially because the fun for me was the training I was able to do.