As brutal as this winter was for runners in the High Country, the spring has been, well, perfect. The sun has been shining everyday with a nice little breeze and no rain. The birds are chirpin' the leaves are growin' and the rivers still flowin'.
I spent my weekend out on the trails for the first time this year, logging runs of 13, 10, 9 and 2 miles. The paces have been dropping as well with the body feeling limber and strong. Just have to love love love running this time of year. I believe the only season that rivals the spring is the fall. The transition seasons, with their moderation and change are so refreshing:)
Hope your steps have come as easily as mine so far this month!!
Showing posts with label Endurance Running. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Endurance Running. Show all posts
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
Wednesday, March 17, 2010
Kick me to the Curb
I am tired, beat down tired.
Following Saturdays all out race I have completed 3 additional runs. The cumulative effect has me moaning and groaning but not very sore.... just tired.
Monday
13 miles of progression type running. This one moved from very easy to aerobic threshold.
Tuesday
Feeling a little tired I back off and completed a long 9 miles at a relaxed effort... still I was feeling the fatigue coming on pretty strong.
Wednesday
The plan was to run 10 miles at whatever kind of pace I felt like running at the given moment. It turned out to be 6.5 in 39 minutes. At which point I was ready to have the dirt shovelled on top of me for a long sleep. Fortunately I still had 4 miles to run in order to get back to the car. I moseyed along step by step and reached the promise land in 26 minutes... slogging it. Nice to know that even on the most fatigued days I am still carrying some momentum in my stride.
Super-Compensation
This could go in a lot of directions, but here I am just talking about rest. Tomorrow I will come home early and not run a step. The time with the family will do me well (and I have a Pre-Calc test on Friday). Wish me luck, I DO need it!!!
Following Saturdays all out race I have completed 3 additional runs. The cumulative effect has me moaning and groaning but not very sore.... just tired.
Monday
13 miles of progression type running. This one moved from very easy to aerobic threshold.
Tuesday
Feeling a little tired I back off and completed a long 9 miles at a relaxed effort... still I was feeling the fatigue coming on pretty strong.
Wednesday
The plan was to run 10 miles at whatever kind of pace I felt like running at the given moment. It turned out to be 6.5 in 39 minutes. At which point I was ready to have the dirt shovelled on top of me for a long sleep. Fortunately I still had 4 miles to run in order to get back to the car. I moseyed along step by step and reached the promise land in 26 minutes... slogging it. Nice to know that even on the most fatigued days I am still carrying some momentum in my stride.
Super-Compensation
This could go in a lot of directions, but here I am just talking about rest. Tomorrow I will come home early and not run a step. The time with the family will do me well (and I have a Pre-Calc test on Friday). Wish me luck, I DO need it!!!
Wednesday, April 22, 2009
The weather is warming and the long runs are stretching with the days length. Now sitting at 7 weeks until the Chattooga 50k I am feeling prepared physically and now adding some quality to increase mechanical and physiological efficiency. Still having two long runs to go and some 50 runs all told there is still much work to be done which balanced with rest will do nothing but increase fitness and confidence.
This weekend I will depart from the 5k racing I have been doing recently and step up to a 25k. The 5k races have done well to reacquaint me with the feelings involved with racing, balancing of anxiety, adrenaline, patience and ultimately performance. Those races both went very well competitively and I felt my approach was a well rounded one allowing for the best results for my training accumulation at the time.
Now with a 25k looming including over 1000 ft of elevation gain and then loss, I will really see how the blend of long runs and tempo runs have blended toward a goal of performance. Fortunately the race takes place about 15 minutes from home so I won't be driving an hour or more to get to the start... more sleep is always welcome;)
Today I will go and drive the course, get a sense of the climb from mile 2 to 4.5, where the course peaks out. This is the 1000 ft climb before the road plummets to its original elevation around mile 10. From there the flat and rolling terrain will test the quads and their ability to withstand the previous punishment. I have been running quite a lot of up and down tempo runs and longer runs so I feel that with a patient approach I should fall into an excellent run that will be fulfilling. Otherwise, I will be fortunate to have 6 weeks to correct any deficiencies that are made apparent.
This will be a real test and a beacon toward the bigger goal of the 50k. Beyond that I will run the Grandfather Marathon in July. A 26.2 miler that ends with a 5 mile stint leading up to the mile high swinging bridge on Grandfather Mountain.
This weekend I will depart from the 5k racing I have been doing recently and step up to a 25k. The 5k races have done well to reacquaint me with the feelings involved with racing, balancing of anxiety, adrenaline, patience and ultimately performance. Those races both went very well competitively and I felt my approach was a well rounded one allowing for the best results for my training accumulation at the time.
Now with a 25k looming including over 1000 ft of elevation gain and then loss, I will really see how the blend of long runs and tempo runs have blended toward a goal of performance. Fortunately the race takes place about 15 minutes from home so I won't be driving an hour or more to get to the start... more sleep is always welcome;)
Today I will go and drive the course, get a sense of the climb from mile 2 to 4.5, where the course peaks out. This is the 1000 ft climb before the road plummets to its original elevation around mile 10. From there the flat and rolling terrain will test the quads and their ability to withstand the previous punishment. I have been running quite a lot of up and down tempo runs and longer runs so I feel that with a patient approach I should fall into an excellent run that will be fulfilling. Otherwise, I will be fortunate to have 6 weeks to correct any deficiencies that are made apparent.
This will be a real test and a beacon toward the bigger goal of the 50k. Beyond that I will run the Grandfather Marathon in July. A 26.2 miler that ends with a 5 mile stint leading up to the mile high swinging bridge on Grandfather Mountain.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
The Air Seems Cleaner up Here
The focus from speed to distance has occured. These days surrounding me have brought musings of the future and what could be possible in terms of endurance. 26.2... I've done this, 5 times but not for a long time. So here I sit and think about this fall and the diligence required to reach that period and not be wondering, but rather realizing.
The future surely arrives. What will we do with the moments leading up to it? Will we rest, always being ready to preapare for something? OR will we be doing that something, actualizing life. Creating ourselves, step by step, each mile piling gently or fiercely. Moment by moment is how a life is passed or lived or loved. Discovery is not concrete or quantified. Adventure is in the mind. Achievement is of the soul.
The future surely arrives. What will we do with the moments leading up to it? Will we rest, always being ready to preapare for something? OR will we be doing that something, actualizing life. Creating ourselves, step by step, each mile piling gently or fiercely. Moment by moment is how a life is passed or lived or loved. Discovery is not concrete or quantified. Adventure is in the mind. Achievement is of the soul.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)