November 2016 Training – Week 3
I returned to running regularly this week! It was hard fitting some of my runs in since I’ve started seeing a chiropractor on some mornings. It’s only been two weeks since I ran the New York City Marathon, so I’m still recovering. But, I’ve been reading The Science of Running and thinking about my next training cycle.
Training Schedule
November 20th – November 26th
Sunday: Rest.
Monday: 7 miles easy.
Tuesday: 7 miles easy.
Wednesday: 6 miles easy (AM) and 4 miles easy (PM).
Thursday: Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler.
Friday: 8 miles recovery.
Saturday: Long Run. 11 miles.
Mileage Total: ~48 Miles
Adaptations. I ran 6 miles on Monday, 8 miles on Tuesday, and “just” did 5.4 miles on Wednesday. I also cut my Friday mileage down to 6 miles.
Goals. Run every day this week except Sunday since I was out of town. Outcome: Success! It was hard fitting some of the runs in since I had chiropractic appointments but I did it.
Workout Details
Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler. 5 miles @ 5 mile pace. [Race Report].
This was my 11th consecutive running of the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler. It was slow for me but not bad considering I took a week off after the 2016 New York City Marathon and just started running regularly again this week. During the race, the pace felt labored from the beginning and my hips were so sore that I never felt completely comfortable. I lived in Del Ray when I started running, so it was great driving and running these streets and thinking about how far I’ve come since those early days!
Result=36:18 (7:16 pace).
Medium Run. 11 miles [Log Details]
I stretched for 5-10 minutes before heading out for my run. I planned to do 11 but my 12 mile route seemed more appealing.
I was running easy during the first mile. I decided to keep my easy runs in the 8:25-8:45 for this next training cycle. I felt good but reminded myself that this would be my longest run in a while. A week or so ago, I noticed there was construction on the road. Luckily, it didn’t close the sidewalks.
I zoned out for much of the next four or five miles through Clarendon and the Custis Trail. I mostly wanted to make sure I kept the pace comfortable enough that I knew I could keep the same effort for the entire run.
On the W&OD, I stopped for water but didn’t rest for long. I felt the need to stretch my legs a little bit – not because I wanted to run faster but to increase flexibility in my hip joints. But after another mile or so, my hips started to feel tired and I went back to shuffling more.
I was happy with the run overall. When I got home, I stretched for a good 5-10 minutes again. I felt pretty achy for a few hours after, though.
Overall pace=8:30.
Health
Injuries. I had chiropractic appointments on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday. After the Alexandria Turkey Trot 5 Miler that I ran on Thanksgiving Day, my hips were unbelievably sore. I stretched and rested but finally took some Ibuprofen. Thankfully, my hips felt better the next day.
Weather
Temperatures plummeted to the low and mid-40s and the winds were pretty fierce all week.
Racing Schedule
Next race: Jingle All the Way 15K on December 4th? I’m still not committed to racing again next weekend but I’m open to the idea. (My Complete Racing Schedule.)
