March 18th-24th Training Recap

March 18th- My left IT band is sore on the outside of my knee today.  My favorite remedy for that is to foam roll the outside of the thigh to loosen it up and relieve the pressure and inflamation below.  That combined with a bit of ice and anti-inflammatory usually does the trick for me.  It is also nearly as windy as it was yesterday.  I ended up taking the day off, my knee gradually got better but it was windy and cold and I didn't feel like running.

March 19th- I was super tired today.  I thought it was just a general lack of motivation but my legs really didn't want to move.  I ran home from work then changed and ran to War Memorial Stadium for some stadium stairs workout.  I was inspired by reading Lydiard's 'To the Top'.  I don't really have hamstring issues but Lydiard says that hills and stair strengthen hamstrings and prevent these types of injuries.  It was extremely windy again and I am getting tired of it!  7 miles on the day and week!

March 20th- Got a decent 5 in today.  The legs still felt tired but not nearly as bad as yesterday.  12 on the week.

March 21st- Got 6 in before work.  Still kind of tired and the outside of my foot hurt.  Will wear a different pair of shoes this afternoon and hopefully it goes better.  Go Jacks!

PM- Well the Jacks lost but I did get in another 5 after work.  The foot and energy levels both felt better this time around.  It was oppressively windy, again.  Weekly mileage up to 23.

March 22nd + 23rd-  I decided to take these days off.  I was feeling very tired and unmotivated.  It was also very cold and windy.

March 24th- Despite the cold, I made it out for 10 miles in the 0 degree weather.  We got back on the trails east of town which are nice and offer great views of Laramie from above.  Despite the fact that I didn't meet my goals this week, I am satisfied.  I may have bit off more than I could chew with my 20 miler last weekend if I wanted to train strong this week.  I think that I might also be getting sluggish from lack of activity at work.  That isn't completely my fault but I'm sure I can do better than I am right now.  I also need to get back on the full myrtle every day train.  I think that strong hip flexors will go a long way in an ultra.  I am mentally refreshed and ready for another decent week of training.  Either this week or next weekend will be my last super long run before the ultra. 

Weekly mileage: 23

Training Report

I keep track of my monthly mileage and like to compare it from year to year to see how I am doing compared to past years.  This year in January I hit 385 miles.  Last year had been my best at 362.  Similarly, in February, I hit 346 which bettered last year by 54 miles.  My March best is two years ago when I ran 420 miles!  That's an average of about 95 per week.  This week will certainly be lower than 95 but in the next few weeks I hope to increase the volume to just over 100 per week.  I find that I am racing best when I run between 90 and 105 miles.  I think it has something to do with my metabolism.  If I run less, I become sluggish and may gain a pound or two.  When running high mileage I find it impossible to gain weight.  Others, with faster metabolism, may find that running much less mileage is the best training fit for them.  Another factor to consider is intensity.  I find that running a fairly easy pace for a majority of my runs works best.  I can handle high volume very well but when I run too fast on a daily basis I increase my likelihood of injury and mental and physical burnout because I don't allow myself to recover.  I've said it before and I'll say it again... Running requires experimentation.  Every runner is different and every runner reacts differently to different stimuli.  Keep running, having fun and trying new things.  Not only will it help you learn about yourself as a runner, it will keep running fresh and exciting!