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Ramping up... slowly Tuesday, December 5, 2006
My running is progressing well so far. I put in about 19 miles last week, all easy, and I'll be shooting for about 22 this week. I'm basing my very slow mileage ramp-up on the fabled "10% rule" - increasing weekly mileage by about ten percent each week. I've started out at what seems like a very low mileage for myself simply because I have had many injuries in the past from TMTS (too much, too soon) and I am committing myself to the pursuit of a completely injury-free year betwen now and next November. I would loveto go for weeks without having to fill an ice pack or hobble around between training sessions. Besides, if I'm going to be a coach, I'd better well be able to practice what I preach!
Speeding up
I was rocking out on my run today: I got in about five miles, well under 7:00/mile, which is the fastest I've gone since starting back up. I'll have to keep that kind of pace a rarity for a while, but it was good to cruise... especially because it was just barely in the 20s when I was running. Going fast = keeping warm.
Shoulder cramps In two days, the weather has gone from 20 to 50 degrees. Very weird. I've finished my second full training week after my extended time off, and I'm pleased with my progress. Nothing in my legs hurts, I'm not overly fatigued or sore after having gotten over the initial muscle soreness two weeks ago, and I'm enjoying the running that I'm getting in right now. Actually sticking to a slow mileage build-up plan for once is proving to be the way to go (in the past, I'd have jumped right into 30-35 mile weeks).
For whatever reason, I'm still getting some cramping in my shoulders while running. It feels like it's deep under the pectorals, close to where the shoulder socket is. Other than being distracting, they're not something I'm worried about, but they are also weird.
Fantastic run Yesterday's run was absolutely wonderful. I met up with the Pharaoh Hounds and we ran through Squirrel Hill and into Schenley Park, all after dark. It was 54 degrees - perfect running temperature - and we just had a good time, not really running hard until the very end. Lots of good conversation and banter, as always. I think I like those runs better than the hard workouts.
I also ended up putting in almost seven and a half miles in that run, which is the longest I've gone in months. I felt pretty good, too - the legs were not acting up at all, and I wasn't too tired this morning. Not much more than usual, at any rate.
Coach Eversmeyer
Yeah, that's me. I just got back from a very intense track & field coaching clinic, and once I pass my test, I will be a certified coach. That's pretty sweet. What will be even sweeter is when I get my triathlon coaching certification in March. That has income potential.
Wretched week This past week has been ridiculous. Working in retail during the end-of-year holiday season can be fun, but it's also ridiculously stressful and very tiring. It's a good thing I cut back a bit on my training, because I probably wouldn't have had the energy to do much more than I managed to do. So far, after four weeks back, my legs are holding up pretty well. I'm still going light on the run mileage, and I'm ramping up pretty slowly, trying to follow the 10% rule. I won't get up to 40 miles a week until the end of February. I won't touch a bicycle until a week from tomorrow, but starting on New Year's Day, I will begin getting myself back into shape on the bike. I'm looking forward to that, even if it means being on the trainer. I just want to get back into the swing of things, and I'm excited for next season. Crazy how time flies. I redid this entire website a year ago, although it feels like it was last month.
Merry Christmas!
Here we go
Despite my best efforts, I've developed my first injury of the training season. My left achilles started to bother me on my run today, possibly because of running up Guyasuta Road on Christmas Day. (Guyasuta is one of the 13 steepest hills in the area. It's wicked.) I've iced it, so it feels ok, but I may have to run with a little pain tomorrow. So it goes...
3... 2... 1... I didn't have lunch today, and I'm sore from playing toppleball yesterday, so today's run - the last of 2006 - was pretty painful. I semi-bonked in the middle, but managed to finish strong on the hill up to my house. Overall, I guess I'm reasonably satisfied with the way this year went from a training standpoint. The first part was great, training hard in Ann Arbor and busting out some sweet races along the way. It was a season of new discoveries: I am finally capable of running over 50 miles per week; and racing on the bike is a lot harder when you're not in shape! I came away from the spring season with a better idea of what I am capable of in training and racing. The summer was a write-off, because I was at camp and my job didn't allow me to run much or really ride at all. The fall was a painful reminder that once you're out of shape, you've gotta take it easy when you try to get back into shape. A few injuries hammered that point home, and it's a mistake I have been working not to repeat as I begin building next season's base.
2006 By The Numbers: Next year is going to look differently. For the first time in years, I will not have a major racing season in the early spring, because I will be building for and peaking in October. This will mean a more gradual accumulation of miles and hours in the front half of the year, but more consistent and higher accumulation over the course of the entire year. I have set some challenging but attainable goals for 2007, and I am confident that if I train like I know I can, I will be able to do some impressive things next year.
See you on the flip side!
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December 2006
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