Sunday, July 16, 2006

Week Wrapup

Distance: 48.2 kilometers (29.93 miles)
Time: 4 hours

Comments: Not the best week. My weekday runs were all underwhelming even the one that I did in the new shoes. The long run made up for a lot of it since I felt much better about my performance and my control over it than any other run in the past seven days.

I think part of the problem is the cumulative soreness that has been building due to the increased training (or, more precisely, the reduction of "off" days) and the punishment I was giving my legs and feet in the worn out shoes. I have been careful because the last thing I want to to push myself to the point of injury.

I have to go to Cusco and Puerto Moldonado for work and, as a result, I will not be running for at least a week-and-a-half. At first this worried me but now I think the time off will be good. I will be walking a good bit so it is not like I will be completely sedentary.

The guru and I agree that my goal over the six weeks or so after I get back should be building a base for the start of my actual marathon training in mid-September. I want to be completely comfortable with a 30-35 mile weekly total and having only one or two off days. So instead of any mileage building like I have had this past month, I'll probably try and hold it pretty much where I have it now.

Long Run

Distance: 18.8 kilometers (11.67 miles)
Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Surface: asphalt/concrete/dirt
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 60s, early morning run
Location: Miraflores/Barranco/Chorrillos, Lima, Peru

Comments: I was a little worried about today's run given my struggles during the week, the fact I didn't eat well yesterday and the soreness that still lingered in my quads this morning. 

Instead it turned out to be a really good run. I felt in control pretty much the whole way and had no really tough spots at all. My pace came out incredibly good but, as always, I am suspect of the distances since I determine them by measuring on a map afterward.

I got up super early and puttered around for an hour and then stretched really well. Then I puttered a bit more and stretched again. I got started and purposefully held back on my stride, abbreviating it to the point it almost felt like a quick jog. I kept that until I got down to beach level - about 15 minutes into it - and then settled into my normal pace.

I went across Barranco and around Santa del Fraile and past Playa la Herradura into the tunnel that runs back into Chorrillos. Then I turned around and came back. I went back up the cliffside at Playa Miraflores and the cutback stone stairs I am learning to loath. 

The new shoes were awesome. No issues with any of the problems I have had feet-wise but there was a twinge in my left knee at one point as well as a dull soreness at that point where the IB band crosses the bump on the side of the knee. Both lasted only a few minutes and never reached the point of real discomfort. I just tried to shorten my stride a bit when I felt them.