Pool Running is Fun

AM: 8 miles, very humid. 

PM: 4 miles around Ottawa. Cooler, less humid

5 miles + several strides, standard core routine, foam rolling

5 miles easy

Once again July 4th rolled around and I was back in Ohio. I've run the Freedom 5K a total now of 10 times between 2002-2017. It's a fun race with a fair course and it always brings in some fast guys that end up running sub 15:30 for the win most years.  This year, however, was strangely different.

My buddy Dickman was not there this year, Tom was out of shape since he's been busy getting a new coaching position, and Dustin ended up having a bad race. Kind of strange not to have som 15 low dude around at this race. Anyway I went out and I was all alone. 5:02 through the mile which is just fine. It was windy in that direction but overall humidity and temperature wasn't that bad. However, I started pushing but I was slowing down. A 5:09, then a 5:17 and I was running all out.  I'm not sure what's been wrong with me for the past two months but I;ve been running like shit. I'm guessing it's bombing/burning out after Cherry Blossom in April, having a little depression episode in late April/May and not really running too much. Whatever it was I ran 30 seconds faster in this race last year.

At any rate, no one was faster than me today and I'll take a win here, a race that I've been wanting to win for awhile, despite the fact that it's the slowest winning time in 15+ years of the race. Most non-runners don't understand how you can be a little worried/bumbed having won a race, so you just say "thanks" when they congratulate you. The truth is that it felt a little hollow winning this one. Don't get me wrong I'm happy but also worried about how I felt running.

Now on to marathon training. No more summer races for me.

Article about my win

results

Off. taking a little break before marathon training. Wondering why I ran so slow yesterday. Ate a bunch of garbage too

Drove back to VA today and ate Wendy's. It was really good but I don't feel great after yesterday's food choices.

AM: 5 miles + standard core routine, stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles 

Ran to and from work.

AM: 10.5 miles easy + foam rolling, stretch, ankle routine

PM: 4 miles 

AM: 13 miles progression run with the last four at marathon pace effort

PM: Standard core routine, foam rolling + 1 hour pool run

Was supposed to do 14 progression but I was pretty damn spent after 13and I would have slowed to 6:00+ so I cut it a mile short and did a cool down mile. Humid, need to drink more. Feel heavy. Have a lot of work to do between now and race day.

AM: 8 miles easy + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles easy + standard core routine, heel lifts

Hot, but it's going to get worse. A high of 100 Thursday

AM: 2.6 WU 3x1600,800 2.5 CD

PM: 5 miles, very humid + standard core routine

cut it a bit short from 4x1600. Wanted to get it done but not crush it. V02 intervals are not as important during marathon training. 5:05,5:00,4:58,2:25

AM: 11 miles + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles + standard core routine. Very Hot outside

first midweek long run today. Luckily there are three water fountains along the route as it's hot as balls this time of year.

AM: 7 miles + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles + standard core routine. 

Very hot/humid. About 96 with a heat index of 102 when I ran home. However, yesterday was far worse because today the sun was behind the clouds and it was breezy. Really wasn't too bad but forced a slower pace. Feeling really good ramping up the mileage, despite the heat. Today is my reovery day.

AM: 3 WU 7x1100m hill circuits 3 CD

PM: 5 miles after a thunderstorm

very humid, 80 degrees with 75 dewpoint before the sun was even up. Living in this area of the country is truly disgusting in the summer.

AM: 12 miles

PM: off

very humid, disgusting again.

that's 97 miles plus 6 "miles" worth of pool running for a total volume of 103

AM: 16 miles progression. Last 5 5:55,5:54,5:45,5:49,5:30. Uphill at the end but even so I felt sluggish. Probably due to ramping upmy mileage agressively this week.

PM: standard core routine, foam rolling then 1 hr. Pool run

AM: 8 miles slow + foam rolling

PM: 5 miles slow + standard core routine

EXTREMELY humid this morning at 76 degrees with a 74 dew point at 6:50 am. Rainforest like conditions, simply gross to be outside and it was getting on my nerves since my legs were already pretty tired. Just went slow

AM: 3 WU 2x(1600,800) 2.5 CD

PM: 5 miles slow. felt dead. rainforest conditions as it had just rained and it was very humid

Nothing too fast, nothing too slow. Just putting in a workout at a decent effort without blasting anything. Pretty much how all workouts are/should be during marathon training. 5:08,2:25,4:57,2:23

Oh, and by the way, this is the type of weather I'm working with to get my 100 mile weeks in. Tired of it already

AM: 12 easy to moderate + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles + light core. extremely hot

72 with 71 dew point this morning (about 90-95% humidity). Took a bottle of water with me and took a big swig after each mile starting two miles in. Even doing that I became dehydrated and was very thirsty afterwards. Just covered in sweat. My shoes were soaked. 

I'm choosing my training log to complain about the heat/humidity rather than facebook. As far as being able to even get any decent running in, I may be out of luck: https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2017/07/19/intense-extended-heat-wave-to-last-through-monday/?utm_term=.e49da31c9a61

AM: 7 miles + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles + standard core routine

Very humid once againthis morning. 97 degrees on the run home with a heat index over 105. If it wasn't for a stiff breeze I would have cooked. I've run in worse conditions since the humidity has been much higher at a lower temp but this may be close to the hottest temperature wise.

AM: 3 WU 7x1100m hill circuits 3 CD + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 easy home + standard core routine. 

84 degrees today t 5:45 am. Real feel was 95. Strangely it did not feel that bad, like I may be adapting to the insane heat/humidity. I'm guessing highs of 85 and lows of 65 next week will feel down right chilly. 95 degrees on the way home

AM: 11 miles easy. Very humid

PM: 4 miles easy after a thunderstorm + alternate core routine, foam rolling.

AM: 17 miles easy

I knew today would be tough because it was 76 with a 74 dew point at 7:00 am this morning. I thought I'd be ok doing 18 in this shit because I was going to carry gatorade and re-fill the bottle with water. I started feeling a little off after 5 miles, which is the mile I realized my shorts and shoes were completely soaked already with my own sweat. I was feeling heavy so I turned around at 8.5 instead but began to feel ill a mile after that. I literally could not move my legs and I was dizzy. I stopped and drank three bottles of water at the water fountain. It was no use. I had to run easy and take a break after each mile to make it back. I still feel awful.
As I was suffering out there I began to realize that perhaps I was experiencing heat exhaustion. With a dew point that high your sweat does evaporate and you can literally cook if you are out there too long.

I also think I may have overtrained this week. I was under the mistaken assumption I could train just as hard in extremely humid/hot weather as I could in the winter--I was dead wrong. Didn't feel that great yesterday but I just ignored it.

So, tomorrow I'm going to the pool, and I'm cancelling any remaining Saturday doubles on my schedule. I'll probably permanently replace one of my easy runs with a pool session.

I better go, I'm feeling sick.
 

off. Still hald ill from heat exhaustion. 

AM: 10 miles + stretch, foam rolling.

PM: 5 miles + strides and drills + standard core routine

amazing weather, 68 degrees with significantly less humidity. My shorts were not soaked half way through the run for the first time in two weeks. It was great.

AM: 12 miles easy to moderate + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 slow

Better weather

AM: 9 miles + stretch, foam rolling

PM: 5 miles + standard core routine

A little more humid today

AM: 3 WU 3200,1600. 2.7 CD  10:33, 5:14

PM: 5 miles in the rain

Humid as f*%# again. sweating buckets. Thunderstorms this evening

AM: 12 miles.

PM: no more PM runs on Saturday. They are lame and I'me done-zo

I should have done some core.Gotta get back on the core train next week.

AM: 4321 Marathon workout. (5:37,5:40,5:38,5:32), (5:38,5:38,5:36), (5:38,5:32), (5:38)

PM: 1 hr. pool run + standard core routine

Great weather today. good workout

AM: 8 miles + foam rolling

PM: 5 miles + 4x100m stried + standard core routine

Going to be hotter that forecast first foretold. Over 90 each day of course