Last 3 wks of tough stuff....

The last three weeks leading up to Taper Town have been both confidence boosting and fear inducing.  While I've had some really great runs, I've also had moments that found me questioning my readiness; which have ironically come in the leading days up to my landing in "Taper Town". 

My goal for March was to get 50 miles/wk for each of the 4 wks, which would surely have me in top shape at the end of my toughest training.  I was going to start doubling up my Tuesday/Thursday work, and also try to sub out my spin classes, or at least try to get a few miles in before them on Modays.

Week 1, things went without a hitch.  I got a few miles either during lunch or prior to my Tues/Thursday stuff.  Tuesdays track workout was great; ran around 5:40 for most of the 600's and 800's.  My later stuff was also faster than the beginning stuff, which is always good.  Thursday I got a few miles in before the Wedge Run and ran the 8.5 @ 6:35 in some terrible wind and sleet.  Almost the worst conditions I've run in thus far.  Then came the 12 miler @ goal pace on Saturday.  I started out trying to take it pretty easy.  By take it easy I mean start around a 6:50, and then ramp it down to a 6:40 with a few miles left and then finish with a 6:35 pace.  I honestly felt pretty good, and might have been able to go faster, but I didn't think it would be worth it given the 50 mile week. 

Week 2, also a pretty good week.  Didn't get my my additional miles in on Tuesday, but did get in some extra miles in on Monday, which was a gorgeous 70 degrees.  For some reason on Tuesday, I was so tired, I slept in my truck in the YMCA parking lot leading up to the track workout.  I rallied, and ran with Todd, which helped.  We ran around 5:17 on the 500's, 5:25 on the 1000's and I broke 5:00 a couple times on the last few 500's.  It was one of my stronger workouts so far.  It's amazing to me how I could feel so crappy and tired an hour before this, and still be mentally strong enough to run as fast as I did.  I like having Todd to run with too, he's like my new Joel.  We're about the same pace, which is great.  I've been trying to push in all my sets towards the end and it seems to be working.  That Thursday was a fairly easy Wedge Run, 7:05.  A lot of ppl had the Biltmore race on Sunday, which worked for me since I was going to do my 19 the next day due to our wedding in Michigan over the weekend. 

To squeeze in my 19 miler, I took a half day from work.  I parked at the Wedge, ran essentiall the Avl half course so that my 13 miles would end around the Wedge, and I could run my last 8 @ goal on some flat stuff.  The 13 went ok, despite the hills, but the headwind, and poor fueling really hurt my last 8.  Wasn't even able to get below 7min, but I know I was working hard so I wasn't that upset. 


Week 3.  Things started to turn....a little.  Track work was still solid, actually maybe a little faster than the week prior.  Thursday though, the additional miles pre-Wedge Run caught up to me a little.  I was super tired and barely ran a sub 7 pace.  Saturday was my last pace run.  It was a decent weather day, and my goal was to start out a little slow, and ramp into a 6:50 pace, and hold it the whole time. I wanted to try and get a solid feel for how that pace felt for a sustained period.  That didn't last too long.  I did start around 6:53, but then found myself getting into the high 40's, then the mid 40's and then finished at 6:39pace.  It was one of my toughest runs.  I wasn't purposefully trying to push that hard, but as the seconds came off, I found my pace getting faster.  Even when I felt like all my effort was simply to keep from losing speed, I seemed to be gaining ground.  A great way to complete this series of runs. 

Week 4.  Wheels just got wobbly.  I started off the week fighting off a cold.  I stayed home Tuesday from work and literally laid in bed all day.  However, my fear of missing a track workout on my week leading to Taper Town had me sitting in my truck in a blizzard, trying to decide if this was a good or bad idea.  Turned out to be a great idea.  The snow was flying and it was a novelty to run that night.  My pace didn't waiver too much from normal, which with the conditions, made me really happy. Wednesday was another "I'm dead" day.  I skipped Ath. Conditioning and opted just to run after work.  I wasn't dressed properly but I did 3.5 outside before trying to complete the 6 inside....I got one more mile in and bagged it.  However things started to get better on Thursday, when I rocked out a 6:24 pace for the Wedge Run.  That's my 3rd fastest pace for that workout, which made me feel great. Then, SOMETHING happened.  Sometime on Friday my stomach went all "Dumb and Dumber" on me I actually left work early and spent the entire night no more than 10 steps from the toilet.  The pain and cramping was severe, and I started to worry about my looming 23 miler.  I awoke to a rainy and 55 degree day, and still some stomach discomfort.  I tried the best I could to eat some pancakes, some gas-ex, some pepto, and some water before I left for my run.  Something just didn't feel right.  I wasn't motivated at all, I was too focused on my discomfort.  I really hoped that I would shake it off as I got started, but things seemed to get worse. Just having my fuel belt on hurt my stomach and after 1.75mi, I turned and WALKED back to my car.  I was pissed.  I was in pain.  I was NOT arriving at Taper Town today.  I went to urgent care just to see if there was SOMETHING they could give me, which they did, and I spent the rest of the day on the couch sleeping, and hoping for improvement.  A day like that is a terrible mental challenge.  All I could think was that had things been different, I'd be on this couch, with a beer in my hand, celebrating the completion of my training and welcoming myself to Taper Town.  I felt like I was leaving something on the table.  I felt robbed.  Before I went to bed, I pre-packed my bag, and laid out all my food, trying to make the next day as effortless as possible. 

 

Sunday morning I felt good.  The winds were howling and it was colder than Saturday, but I didn't care.  I was running.  I'd run in crap weather for seemingly my entire training program, it almost seemed fitting that today would be the same.  I started out and within the first few steps,  I knew I was in better shape.  My pace was around 8:25 for the first 13, I felt good.  A little tired, but good.  I changed up the music on my phone, took my last 2 GU's and started off for 10@ goal pace.  Strategy was to be at a 7min pace by mile 5, then amp up the pace, to get it to a 6:50 in the last 5, thus meeting the goal.  The first 2 miles, this was not a problem.  I was hovering around 7:02, and despite some wind, I was doing ok.  Mile 3, 7:04 pace and seemingly slipping.  At mile 4, I was slipping some more, and now my stomach issues had been awaken.  Not sure if it was the GU, the residual crap from the day before, or what, but I was in pain.  I wrestled with what to do for another mile before settling on "just work, whatever the pace may be" for the remaining miles.  Turned out to be a death march.  I was so uncomfortable I had to stop several times to release the stomach pressure with some farting that would have been enough to keep a 5yr old laughing for hours.  I finished though.  I checked the box, I made it to Taper Town, and I had to go through a 23 mile effort to get there.  I felt like I earned my place. 

Despite a few more hours of distress, I got to live out my reward of beer, icing, and sweatpants on the couch.  Some college hoops to nurse my wounds.  I would have greatly preferred my run go better, but given the circumstances, I think I proved to myself that I'm too determined to let anything get in my way.  Here's to Taper Town, and recovery!