This week my training plan called for something a bit different than usual. I’m heading to Bermuda tomorrow (Saturday) for a long weekend until Tuesday so I decided to nix the traditional weekend long run because of two main reasons: 1. I’m only going to be on my mini vacation for 4 days and I don’t want to feel pressure to fit in a 16+ mile run. 2. Mike won’t be joining me on the trip (its a mommy-daughter weekend!) so I don’t feel entirely comfortable trying to navigate unfamiliar trails by myself. Granted I’ve been to Bermuda loads of times since I was little, but I’ve actually never gone running outside on the island. So, all that said, I planned to get the bulk of miles done during the weekdays this week, leaving only 10 to get done over Saturday and Sunday in Bermuda.
In order to rack up the weekday miles I planned for 3 days of doubles. I ran a few doubles in July unintentionally and last minute to avoid the heat or to make up mileage, so I had already gotten a little taste of them. This week, however, was the real test! Here is my week so far:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday AM: 3 x 1 mile repeats at 7:42
Tuesday PM: 6 miles
Wednesday AM: 3 miles easy
Wednesday PM: 6 miles
Thursday AM: 2 x 1 mile repeats at 7:30
Thursday PM: 5 miles
Friday AM: 2 x 1 mile repeats at 7:17
I hadn’t planned on running at all on Friday, but I ran out of time Thursday morning and only did 2 miles instead of 3, so I decided to chop Thursday evening’s run from 6 miles to 5 miles, giving me more time to pack for the trip, and make up the two miles Friday morning. As you may have noticed I had three days of speed work this week. After my re-introduction of speed work last week, and my success at the race last Saturday, I’ve been really stoked about getting speedier!
My body definitely responded to the double workouts. Tuesday’s two runs were fine, but when I woke up Wednesday morning for my easy 3 miles I felt stiff as a board! Let’s just say it was a very, very easy run. After reading Hungry Runner Girl the other day, I remembered I had a foam roller laying around somewhere. I’ve only used it for injuries (which its been great for!), but never on a regular basis. I decided to experiment a little bit and rolled out my legs before my 6 miles Wednesday evening. While my legs didn’t feel as fresh as Tuesday evening’s run, they did feel a heck of a lot better than the morning! I rolled out again afterwards and massaged my calves since they felt like they were going to explode. I also iced my left knee (the problem knee) since it was feeling a little stiff. Better safe than sorry! Rolling out after my Wednesday night run seemed to do the trick because I felt in fine form Thursday morning. The only sleepy parts of me were my eyes from the above-average number of early mornings this week. By the time Thursday evening rolled around I was super glad I decided to run only 5 instead of 6 miles since I had to run around a do a million things before going to bed. I rolled out again pre-run (including my upper back, which felt GREAT!) and it definitely loosened me up. While Thursday evening’s run felt the hardest of my 3 weeknight runs this week it was surprisingly my fastest. In fact, my slowest evening run was Tuesday when I was feeling my freshest! Must be the speed work! Finally, I finished Friday morning with my 2 mile make-up run. It was my fastest mile repeats of the week and they were really, really challenging. Yet, after they were over, I still felt like I could have pushed a third mile out if I really had to. I guess that’s a good thing!
So to sum it up, I really put my body to the test this week. By the time Wednesday night’s run ended I had run 18 miles in two consecutive days, which is how much I have normally been running over four consecutive days during the week with my training plan. I’m tried, sore, stiff, but at the same time I feel like if I wanted to run tonight I could with no problems. I’m constantly amazed out the human body’s ability to adapt and change. It’s freaking amazing! And I enjoy conducting experiments like this from time to time, just to see how my body responds.
Overall, I really liked doing doubles. I didn’t like having to get up early 4 days in a row, but at the same time it felt really great to start and end my day running. In the upcoming weeks my training plan does include a double every Wednesday with 3 miles of speed work in the morning and 3 easy miles in the evening, which is not nearly as intense as what I did this week. When I start training for ultras, I really hope to incorporate at least one, if not two, days of more intense doubles into my plan. My legs definitely adapted to the quick turnover by the end of the week and I see this as being very helpful when you’re preparing to run super long distances.
In order to rack up the weekday miles I planned for 3 days of doubles. I ran a few doubles in July unintentionally and last minute to avoid the heat or to make up mileage, so I had already gotten a little taste of them. This week, however, was the real test! Here is my week so far:
Monday: Rest
Tuesday AM: 3 x 1 mile repeats at 7:42
Tuesday PM: 6 miles
Wednesday AM: 3 miles easy
Wednesday PM: 6 miles
Thursday AM: 2 x 1 mile repeats at 7:30
Thursday PM: 5 miles
Friday AM: 2 x 1 mile repeats at 7:17
I hadn’t planned on running at all on Friday, but I ran out of time Thursday morning and only did 2 miles instead of 3, so I decided to chop Thursday evening’s run from 6 miles to 5 miles, giving me more time to pack for the trip, and make up the two miles Friday morning. As you may have noticed I had three days of speed work this week. After my re-introduction of speed work last week, and my success at the race last Saturday, I’ve been really stoked about getting speedier!
My body definitely responded to the double workouts. Tuesday’s two runs were fine, but when I woke up Wednesday morning for my easy 3 miles I felt stiff as a board! Let’s just say it was a very, very easy run. After reading Hungry Runner Girl the other day, I remembered I had a foam roller laying around somewhere. I’ve only used it for injuries (which its been great for!), but never on a regular basis. I decided to experiment a little bit and rolled out my legs before my 6 miles Wednesday evening. While my legs didn’t feel as fresh as Tuesday evening’s run, they did feel a heck of a lot better than the morning! I rolled out again afterwards and massaged my calves since they felt like they were going to explode. I also iced my left knee (the problem knee) since it was feeling a little stiff. Better safe than sorry! Rolling out after my Wednesday night run seemed to do the trick because I felt in fine form Thursday morning. The only sleepy parts of me were my eyes from the above-average number of early mornings this week. By the time Thursday evening rolled around I was super glad I decided to run only 5 instead of 6 miles since I had to run around a do a million things before going to bed. I rolled out again pre-run (including my upper back, which felt GREAT!) and it definitely loosened me up. While Thursday evening’s run felt the hardest of my 3 weeknight runs this week it was surprisingly my fastest. In fact, my slowest evening run was Tuesday when I was feeling my freshest! Must be the speed work! Finally, I finished Friday morning with my 2 mile make-up run. It was my fastest mile repeats of the week and they were really, really challenging. Yet, after they were over, I still felt like I could have pushed a third mile out if I really had to. I guess that’s a good thing!
So to sum it up, I really put my body to the test this week. By the time Wednesday night’s run ended I had run 18 miles in two consecutive days, which is how much I have normally been running over four consecutive days during the week with my training plan. I’m tried, sore, stiff, but at the same time I feel like if I wanted to run tonight I could with no problems. I’m constantly amazed out the human body’s ability to adapt and change. It’s freaking amazing! And I enjoy conducting experiments like this from time to time, just to see how my body responds.
Overall, I really liked doing doubles. I didn’t like having to get up early 4 days in a row, but at the same time it felt really great to start and end my day running. In the upcoming weeks my training plan does include a double every Wednesday with 3 miles of speed work in the morning and 3 easy miles in the evening, which is not nearly as intense as what I did this week. When I start training for ultras, I really hope to incorporate at least one, if not two, days of more intense doubles into my plan. My legs definitely adapted to the quick turnover by the end of the week and I see this as being very helpful when you’re preparing to run super long distances.
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