After two weeks of mileage build with an emphasis on Saturday long runs (20 and 18 respectfully), I was excited and ready to have a little cutback week. I don't think I've ever actually let myself have an honest cutback week anytime I used a training plan, but now that I'm older and wiser I realize its a most wonderful and most necessary thing ever.
I went into the week with a goal of running only about 40 miles instead of the 45/46s I've been hitting. More importantly though, no matter what the weekdays brought, the weekEND would not bring me a real long run.
After being utterly exhausted all of the previous week, I actually began to feel stronger and more rested as this week went on. I even skipped a whole day of cycling to work and hopped a ride in the car instead. By the time the weekend rolled around I felt more rested than I had in all of July and I even slept in both Saturday and Sunday (can't remember the last time that happened).
Saturday evening I headed out for 10 miles. They went pretty smoothly except that the humidity made me super dehydrated, even though I stopped for water 3 times.
Sunday consisted of me in front of my computer all day with my final paper for my summer class on one side of the screen and nbcolympics.com on the other side. It was a great weekend for running in London. Between Mo Farah's 10,000 m victory and the insane match up in Sunday's men's 100 m I was on the edge of my seat!
After nine hours of paper writing, just as my head was about to explode, I darted out for another 10 mile run. Around mile 5 I got caught in a torrential downpour. Cars kept pulling over and asking if I wanted a ride, but to tell you the truth after so much sun and humidity the rain felt fantastic. It felt less fantastic when the lightening started, but luckily my husband tracked me down with the GPS on my phone and came to rescue me. I considered going out again for the last 3 miles, but then I thought "embrace the cutback!" and so I did.
So, to sum up, cutback weeks are awesome and I feel ready and refreshed to take on another two weeks of heavy mileage!
I went into the week with a goal of running only about 40 miles instead of the 45/46s I've been hitting. More importantly though, no matter what the weekdays brought, the weekEND would not bring me a real long run.
After being utterly exhausted all of the previous week, I actually began to feel stronger and more rested as this week went on. I even skipped a whole day of cycling to work and hopped a ride in the car instead. By the time the weekend rolled around I felt more rested than I had in all of July and I even slept in both Saturday and Sunday (can't remember the last time that happened).
Saturday evening I headed out for 10 miles. They went pretty smoothly except that the humidity made me super dehydrated, even though I stopped for water 3 times.
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| The perfect post-run set up: Sparkling water, ice, Bliss socks, and the Olympics |
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| Post run yummies - grilled sweet potato fries |
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| The most exhilerating 9.63 seconds ever Source |
So, to sum up, cutback weeks are awesome and I feel ready and refreshed to take on another two weeks of heavy mileage!
Yay for cutback weeks! I agree- most necessary, although, I always expect them to feel easier and sometimes they feel just as hard!
ReplyDeleteThose sweet potato fries look awesome! Good idea!
About a year ago I started doing long-run one week, cutback the next week. So far, so good! (But everyone needs to find their own magic formula.)
ReplyDeletePS - Seriously, people stopped to ask if you wanted a ride? NICE NEIGHBORS!!! :)