Of Mice and Marathons

AM: 6.3 miles, averaged 10:22. HR 120. 

Good recovery on the Polly Ann for the first part of it. I ran most of it with my HR averaging in the 1teens, which was good to see even if the pace was quite slow. I actually find 10' pace to be perfect for recovery. Legs were tired from the double bike/run session yesterday but I just let them do their thing, which is really all a recovery run should be. 

Week 2 Day 1 of the 100 Pushup Challenge: 14, 14, 10, 10, 16

PM: 6.1 miles, averaged 9:48. HR 123.

AM/PM: 5 hours 47' (100.1 miles). 213W. HR 141. 17.3 MPH

Spring R&R 57-Mile Course Recon + Warm Up and Cool Down

I realized there was a gravel race next weekend that is about 20 miles or so north of us and it begins on the Lapeer County section of the Polly Ann about 20 miles out, so I figure why not ride to the course, do the route at a steady effort, and then ride home for about 100 miles as I have been trying to get a hundred miler in for my spring into summer mode. This worked quite well. 

I bought a new hydation pack as my old one just didn't function as I wanted it too. This one worked out much better. Less bulky and more comfortable. Kept the effort pretty steady at 18.1 and 238 watts with a heart rate of only 147, which was quite good. The course is 99% dirt roads and most are in great shape. The Polly Ann should make for a very interesting start and finish.

Toyed with the idea of maybe doing the 35-mile race, but we shall see. They also had a run/ride combo, which was kind of cool, but I am not sure I want to do that though probably should just to wing it. 

I had two 18-20 oz bottles of electrolytes and about 70 oz of water in my hydration pack. I think I took 4 packages of Cliff Bloks. My energy was generally very good throughout and felt like I could have gone longer but my butt hurt and I was a little tired, but I definitely had fuel to burn. 

This felt overly indulgent for a Monday, but the boys were in school and I got back in plenty of time to pick them up. 

AM: 6.7 miles, averaged 9:43. HR 124. 

Got in a recovery run as the boys went to their friend's for 2 hours. If they go, they usually go on Wednesdays, so this was a nice way to get in an outdoor run in the morning on a Tuesday, which I haven't done in many months. Legs were tired, but not sore

PM: 7 miles, averaged 9:18. HR 129.

Legs were moving along a bit better than in the morning. Felt good, especially as recovery pace is creeping through the 9's. 

The boys were pretty good most of the day, but just before dinner they went off. Just very challenging lately not listening, throwing stuff, including toys and food, slamming doors, etc. Very stressful.

AM: 8.9 miles, averaged 7:52. HR 148.

20' + 10' Steady 

Got up early as I had to be on campus for faculty advisor training. I wasn't really ready for a workout at 7:00, but felt very solid once I got going. I figured about 6:45-6:42 on the 20' but hopefully faster and 6:35-6:32 on the 10' but hopefully faster. It went quite well and I was pleased. Air was damp but quite cool. 20' @ 6:35 pace @ 166 BPM and 10' @ 6:22 pace @ 168 HR. I would say that this is roughly half marathon pace with a 2-3 day taper. I have three week until my next half, so I will see what work I can get done between now and then. Not a lot of time, but still able to get in at least four quality sessions and the longer runs of 100'-120' should help. 

5' jog between intervals. 20' up and 15' down as I was running short on time.

PM: 4.4 miles, averaged 10:13. HR 120.

Beautiful afternoon. I was dragging my legs along. I haven't been doing secondary runs after workouts for quite some time, though lately have generally been doing 60' easy-moderate on the trainer. 

AM: 6.5 miles, averaged 10:02. HR 122.

Good recovery run on a route I don't do quite as often as I probably should to mix things up. It is slightly hilly, so I don't often do it for recovery runs. 

PM: Thursday Night Dirt - 3 hours 34' (60 miles). 189W. HR 132. 16.8 MPH

It was threatening to rain but still headed over to the middle school because I didn't want to look on Strava and see that 30 people rode and that the roads were fine. When I got to the parking lot I didn't see anyone but then saw a small group. The shower had passed and we decided to feel out the dirt roads. They were ust lightly damp in places and the pavement at Stony would have likely been just a bad I imagine. So we rolled and there was no rain and the roads were quite good. The effort higher than I expected as I did some pulling and we did a little good-natured racing. Loop data = 234 watts, HR 147, 19.3 MPH

Lunch: 7.4 miles, averaged 8:48. HR 137. 

I was going to run again, but with a bike race tomorrow and quite an exercise load this week I figured I would rest. Looks like maybe a little rain in the morning and then not much during the race other than a passing shower.

AM: 3 hours 40'. 

Spring R&R 57 Mile Gravel Race

18.2 MPH, 250 Watts (259 Wighted) HR 155.

This was the course I did on Monday. Cold to start and it had rained a bit the night before and in the morning. The roads were okay in places but a bit gritty in others and we did get a little rain during the race. Overall, I was only about two minutes faster than when I did the course on Monday, but the conditions were slower. Just kind of diappointing becaause, like running, you should be running (riding) close to what you do on race day. My average power and HR were a good deal higher, so I know the effort was higher. 

I needed to get out with the lead group on the single file section to start on the Polly Ann. I need to be more aggressive at the start of a small race. 6 or 7 guys were out front and there was a guy ahead of me that let a gap open up and that was the last I saw of the leaders. A few guys passed me and we traded the lead for a bit and barked at one guy, apologizing after I realized he was on a single speed and that is why he wasn't able to maintain a constant pace. Still, it was pretty annoying as I wanted to work in the group of three we had. 

I ended up dropping one of them and working to catch the chase group I eventually could see ahead after maybe the halfway mark (I know if was just after crossing Rochester Road that I could see them). I knew one of the guys in that pack and one was a teammate that I didn't recognize. We worked together for a while, but I really wasn't happy with the pace as I was working, but I didn't feel like I was at full race effort. It started to rain and things were kicking up and I could hear people's rotars complaning a bit. On one of the last northern headed roads we started to drop two of the guys, so I went and started to press a bit. The other guy came with me and stayed on my wheel for a while as I could sense him there every once in a while or see him. I decided I had pulled him enough and then started to put power to the pedals and press and dropped him and then kept pressing and eventually I didn't see him. I knew my placing was decent but I wasn't sure how far up I was. I assumed top 10, but had no idea. 

I really got a solid effort in in that last few miles and never really slowed. It was cool, so I didn't have much sweat and I got in two gels and almost all of my 34 ounces of Maurten 320, which I would kill to have access to in a marathon!

The last half mile is on the Polly Ann and it was exceptionally greasy, which I was planning on. Finished slowly on the last grass section, apparently 5th overall (a very small race). I did manage to put 2+ minutes on the next guy and a few more behind that. 

Quads were complaining a bit, but I cooled down for about 20'. I managed to lose my car key, somewhere in the car I think. Looked everywhere. Called Megan and she brought my valet key. I was pretty mad at myself. Oh well.

First gravel race since I think July or August and first bike race since last November. I think I am more comfortable on the bike and definitely fitter. This was toward the tall end of what became a 21-hour training week, so I guess this was pretty good.