Of Mice and Marathons

AM: 4 miles total.

We stayed in Old Orchard at a historic Inn that was pretty cool. We walked around a little bit last night and met up with my aunt, uncle, and cousin. I slept fairly well and got up early. I was slightly nervous for some reason, but not bad. Megan got me near the start line. I warmed up and my legs just felt awful. They never felt good. I tried to get some race pace stuff in to wake them up, but it wasn't really working, but decided I would just work into the race. 

I got into the corral as it was filling in fast. It was incredibly crowded, far more crowded than I remember, but I haven't run a big race since 2018. A spot on my quad started to cramp and just feel awful. I knew I was in trouble as it had happened to me a handful of weeks ago. I tried to get going when the gun went off and felt pretty decent but could feel my leg. It started to get worse and knew I wasn't going to make it. I stopped and then tried to start again, but it very painful. I didn't really have anywhere to go, so I walked a bit and was pretty emotional. 

I eventually borrowed a cell phone to call Megan, but cell service was awful, so I took a SAG ride back to the start line and somehow found my mom's car, as she was in a long line of cars. That was just incredibly lucky. I was very worried I was going to worry Megan. 

Pretty upset, but not much I could do. Just a lot of effort and buildup for nothing, but at least it wasn't a marathon. I want to continue racing, but, man, it sometimes just doesn't feel worth it. 

AM: 73' on the road bike. 206W. HR 137.

Road around Windsor, Whitefield, Somerville, etc. Stopped off at my Dad's grave for the first time since he passed. I tried to find it in December 2023 while running, but I think the stones were covered in snow. Glad I stopped. I should have planned a longer ride. I don't think I will get any real riding in this trip. I was hoping to do a longer ride to Camden, but it looks like rain and we are leaving in the next few days. 

PM: 4 miles w/ Megan, averaged 10:02. HR 126. 

We waited for the downpours to stop. Luckily, my leg felt absolutely fine. So, onward and upward, I guess.

PM: 5 miles on the hotel treadmill, averaged 8:06. HR 145. 

In Batavia, New York coming back from Maine. Pretty sweaty after only 40'. Kept the middle portion steady to marathon effort or higher. Went in the hot tub with the boys after for just a little while. 

PM: 10.2 miles, averaged 7:51. HR 149.

12x3' Subthreshold

Started conservatively at 8.5 MPH and worked down to 9.3 MPH. 1' recoveries.

Decided to get on the treadmill and get a workout in. A little dehydrated from travel, but the workout went okay and I felt pretty good.

PM: 2 hours 20' 41.1 miles @ 18.4 MPH. 205W. HR 138. 

3x15' Sweet Spot

Mentally and physically felt awful, but the workout was okay. Thought I might be sprinkled on, but it held off. 256W, 254W, 257W, HR lower 150s.

AM: 6.4 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:51. HR 135. 

Steady aerobic before more travel. Felt quite good. Broke my mirror, but the Intake breathing strips really help with breathing during exercise. 

Off.

Travel back from Illinois. We had a nice morning with our friends and a nice breakfast in downtown Dixon. It is hard to believe I haven't seen some of them since our wedding, but that is life as an adult sometimes. 

AM: 9.5 miles, averaged 7:54. HR 151. 

3x10' Subthreshold

Legs felt absolutely awful from travel 6 hours yesterday and the day before that and 2-3 days before that 8-9 hours and 6-7 hour the next day. It got a little warm. 7:07, 7:00, 6:56 and HR was 161, 162, 164. 

AM: 6 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:16. HR 123. 

PM: 6.5 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:09. HR 124

+ 30' sauna. HR 89.

AM: 12 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:39. HR 151.

12x3' Subthreshold 

35' progressive warm-up, then 2 each @ 8.8, 8.9, 9.0, 9.1, 9.2, 9.3 MPH w/ 45" recoveries. Solid session. Closer to threshold the last handful of reps, but the reps were short, so likely not too much accumulation. 

PM: 4.5 miles, averaged 9:00. HR 134. 

Did 4 x 200 in 44, 43, 42, 41. Man, I remember when I could do 6-8 x 200 in about 38-34 without too much problem. I do think this is one missing piece of trying to regain fitness is my lack of legs speed and power. 

AM: 4.6 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:44. HR 122.

PM: 3 miles on the treadmill. HR 122.

Legs weren't cooperating in the afternoon, so I cut it to 30'. I didn't eat enough. 

+ 22' sauna. HR 91. Sauna stayed pretty hot, stabilizing around 180F

AM/Lunch: 12 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:35. HR 149. 

6x8' Subthreshold

I was going to do a steady aerobic 90' run but decided with more limited time tomorrow, I would get another session in. Got the effort just right. Turnover didn't feel smooth, but effort was spot on. 8.5 MPH ---> 9.0 MPH w/ 1' recoveries. HR 156, 159, 158, 160, 162, 163.

Not doing the ride tonight due to limited time, but that's okay. I haven't made too many TNDs this summer, but there is still fall time. Trying to get my volume up for running anyway and I guess try to extend my saddle time on any ride day. I feel a slight increase in running volume, 1-2 runs per week of steadier aerobic running, and leg speed/turnover are the missing pieces. 

AM: 6.4 miles, averaged 9:30. HR 122. 

PM: 2 hours. 202W. HR 132. 34.5 miles @ 17.2 MPH. 

Only took 26' before I encountered car idiots. I was reminded of why I have been preferring the basement to being outside. Nice to be out on the bike after I settled down, though.

PM: 3 hours 7'. 214W. HR 136. 57 miles @ 18.2 MPH. 

Had a really good ride. Stayed on the pedals and just found a sustainable but honest effort and stuck with it. About 6 new miles. Only 5 total minutes of coasting, so I was definitely turning the pedals over.

AM/Lunch: 12.4 miles, averaged 7:53?. HR 144.

35' Continuous Subthreshold

35' progressive warm up, then 15' around very light subthreshold (more moderate to steady). I was going to do 3 x 15' Subthreshold, but after the first rep I hit reset on the treadmill and when I restarted I felt good, so I just rolled with it and did 35' straight. I did 8.7, 8.8, 8.9 each for 10' and then 9.0 for 5'. Ended up with 5.13 miles in 35' or 6:49 pace, which was decent. HR 156 for the 35' though I had about 3' rest and started the treadmill over. 

A solid week. 67 miles and just shy of 2 hours of subthreshold work. 21% quality, which is not actually that high. With this method I think 25-25% is not atypical, but 2 hours of quality of plenty for now. I will try to keep thinks at least at 100k a week I think and see where things go. Might have to give up some bike time, but maybe just adding time to my Saturday rides to make up for some of it.

AM: 6.2 miles, averaged 9:36. HR 121. 

PM: 2 hours 45'. 49.3 miles @ 17.9 MPH. 208W. HR 130. 

4 x 8' Threshold + 10 x 1' On/30" Off

I was going to do another run, but it was a beautiful day and felt like riding my bike. Turned it into a workout and it went quite well. Best 8' power all year. 

293, 290, 293, 300. 1' intervals were 325-380 depending on the terrain and if I had a turn. Trying to work on bumping up my threshold. It is far too low and I struggle to cover harder moves in races, though I am unsure of when my next bike race is. 

AM/Lunch: 11.6 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:48. HR 144. 

13x3' Subthreshold (40-45")

I slept until 10:15, which is later than I have slept in a LONG time. Got in a solid session. Started more conservatively than last week and did them in sets rather than progressing more aggressively and I think the effort was closer to what it should have been. First 5 reps @ 8.7 MPH, second 5 reps @ 8.8 MPH, and last 3 @ 8.9 MPH. 

Sweat a ton even with dehumidifiers running. 

+ weights and 30' sauna. HR 84.

Lunch: 5.2 miles on the treadmill, 9:38. HR 119. 

PM: 2 hours 39'. 47.6 miles @ 17.9 MPH. 208W. HR 134. 

5x5' Vo2 + 25' Tempo

Pretty solid workout. Power was around 299-311, so not much higher than my threshold workout the other day, but loaded legs. Tempo was 245 and felt pretty sustainable after the higher outputs. 

AM/Lunch: 10.8 miles, averaged 7:29. HR 147. 

5x8' Subthreshold 

75" recoveries. It was not too hot and comfortable conditions, so I decided to head out and get some air. Started somewhat slow, but worked into it and dropped the pace without forcing anything. Felt very in control today, as the workout should.

6:57 (151), 6:45 (155), 6:41 (157), 6:37 (159), 6:33 (159)

PM: 4 miles, averaged 9:40. HR 117.

Sold my old gravel bike. Sad to see it go, but it was the right thing to do. I don't spend enough time on the ones I have in my regular rotation. 

PM: 3 hours 14'. 58.5 miles @ 18.3 MPH. 214W. HR 138.

5x20' Tempo

Solid durability session. Glad I got this in as it rained all day Saturday. 242, 242, 249, 250, 239

PM: 12.7 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:51. HR 137. 

100' aerobic progression w/ strides. 

AM: 9.3 miles, averaged 7:39. HR 146.

Steady aerobic w/ 4' hard toward the end. 5:53 pace.

AM: 7.4 miles on the treadmill, averaged 8:07. HR 133. 

Bench presses after. I think I have been a bit too much of a weenie on these, so I tried to lift a bit heavier. 

PM: 2 hours 7'. 39 miles @ 18.3 MPH. 214W. HR 130. 

4x8' Threshold + Segment Attack

285, 284, 291, 299 (HR 145-150 avg)

Summer basically ends today. I teach at LTU tomorrow, but I am still finishing up my summer class at Oakland. Still much easier teaching one class than the 7 I have upcoming. 

AM: 7 miles, averaged 7:24. HR 146. 

20' Tempo

6:28 pace @ 161. Effort was around strong half-marathon to 10k pace even though the HR was low overall. I had a different workout planned, but for time efficiency this worked well and I haven't done a continuous outdoor workout in a while. 

PM: Off

First day of the semester at Lawrence Tech went fine. 

AM: 4.2 miles on the treadmill, averaged 9:25. HR 125. 

PM: 2 hours 8'. 38.2 miles @ 17.8 MPH. 197W. HR 137. 

Shorted workout. Legs were not feeling it after yesterday, which I should have realized. Started a vo2 workout and it wasn't going to happen, so I defaulted to sweet spot, but after 20' I couldn't be bothered to keep going, so I cursed myself for being foolish, but then just rode endurance home with one attack on the cemetery hill, missing by about 2 seconds. 

AM: 7.5 miles on the treadmill, averaged 8:00. HR 141. 

Just set the treadmill and ran. Took the boys with me to Lawrence Tech as Megan had some chair stuff. Took them to swim and we went to the bike shop to order my mountain bike. Sold my rode bike this week and looking to sell my fat bike this weekend. I will miss the bikes, but I think it is time to move into what I will actually get more use out of. 

PM: 5.5 miles on the treadmill, averaged 8:16. HR 133. 

A little light-headed, which sometimes happens on a second run when I don't eat enough. Worked through it. 

AM: 9.1 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:43. HR 149. 

11x2' @ ~10k Effort

1' recoveries. 9.3 MPH for the first 10, 9.4 MPH for the bonus rep. I was going to do a subthreshold session, but wanted to work the faster end of things but without burying myself. 

PM: 4 miles on the treadmill @ 5.5%, averaged 10:00. HR 136. 

Off. 

I was going to do a recovery run in the morning while the boys were watching TV, but decided against it. Didn't feel like running later as it got late fast. Took the boys to the Dragon Boat races on Lake Orion, which was kind of neat. 

AM: 13 miles on the treadmill, averaged 7:28. HR 152. 

8-Mile Tempo

Marathon to about steady state. 4-mile warm up, then 4 miles @ 8.5, 2 miles @ 8.6 MPH, 1 mile @ 8.7 MPH, and 1 mile @ 8.8 MPH. Avg HR 160. HR got up to 156-159 pretty quickly, but stabilized extremely well throughout most of it. Creeped up to 162-165 or slightly higher the last few miles, but felt very manageable. Refrained from pressing too hard the last few miles, though could have. 

+ bench presses and squats while the sauna heated.

+ 26' sauna. HR 99. Light core after.