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April 20, 2007
Getting Back into my Training Routine
Tapering and recovering are the two hardest things for me to do these days. I like my regular routine once I establish it. I am back to training because of my restlessness and because of everyone's supportive comments they have made since Boston. Everyone's feedback has been really generous. Sometimes I seriously think my blog is only read by my twin sister. So.. it's nice to know other's occasionally peak in to see what's happening.
I took two days off, Tuesday and Wednesday from any formal training. I was more sore than I anticipated and really wanted to give myself a chance to back off and relax a bit. I did core body workouts with the athletes and drills with the team and some easy jogging for the one hour and fifteen minutes of practice but nothing outside of the team work. During my free time I thought about the elements of training I really need to focus on to get ready for the VT 100. Basically I need to incorporate the following elements into my routine over the next three months if I am really serious about being ready for VT and going in with no excuses.
1. Continue doing long runs - increasing those long runs quite a bit, 5-8 hour runs on trails hopefully.. the snow is slowly melting! Running easy and practice eating while I am running.
2. Hit the gym for 30 minutes of strength work and 15 minutes of core body three times a week.
3. 1 interval workout a week, nothing too tough, just turnover work, mile repeats, 6.30 - 6.40 pace.
4. Steadily increase my mileage, I'd like to hit 3-4 100 mile weeks before the VT 100 with rest weeks in between.
5. Yoga and stretching.. deliberate (3 times a week)
6. Cycling - spinning - one to two times a week for turnover and recovery!
My work schedule lightens up a bit in May as I will get a one month break from teaching at the community college and my teaching at the Hockey Academy will be over. It will be nice to simply teach at the high school and coach for a month. High school classes will be over in mid-June and my main responsibility will be night classes so I can really do all the little things to keep my mind and body in balance. In the summer I just love to be outside all day when I don't have to teach. I am looking forward to running and biking once the school term is over.
My goals seem ambitious now as my body was still feeling Boston's pavement when I ran today but I know with some stretching and rest I will feel as good as new in no time at all.
On Thursday I ran for thirty minutes at the golf course near our house. It is so soft and flat it felt really nice. I took the dog with me and we enjoyed the spring weather that has finally arrived. I also did ten minutes of core body with the team.
Today I went to Stowe and ran for an hour on the bike path. I felt relatively good for the first 40 minutes but in the last 20 minutes my legs were getting pretty stiff, especially what is usually my good quad. This leg gets really sore after hard efforts because it is typically doing all the work even though I really try to even out the work on both legs.
During these final twenty minutes I was analyzing my form by looking at my shadow on the side of the bike path. It is obvious that my body is completely out of balance. Over the last three years I have been told and I have also observed that I carry one shoulder higher than the other. This is a result of the scar tissue in my left quad. I also swing one arm much farther behind than the other arm. These adjustments my body makes definitely has a domino effect on the rest of my body and it is one of the main reasons I want to incorporate lots of strength work into my training. I know the strength work will help to keep my body more aligned. I am looking forward to some hard training over the next three months and hope my body can keep it together.
Posted by mary at April 20, 2007 9:16 PM
Comments
Your plan sounds great, albeit ambitious. I know you can do it and we'll all be cheering you along!
I've been working with my form a lot lately, too. It's been way out of wack since Costa Rica. Something about doing the ultra shuffle for 6 days in a row really fubared things. My hamstrings are tight and my gluteus medius are weak and these are throwing everything out of whack. After trying to focus on certain areas for more flexibility and others for more strength for a while, I've since decided to focus on a whole-body strength and flexibility approach. I hope it works for both of us!
Posted by: Meghan at April 20, 2007 10:08 PM
wow; your new elements sound very thoughtful; what attention to detail. thanks for the update. good luck
Posted by: jody at April 21, 2007 3:03 PM
Vermont 100 that is a great event. The training seems great and what a nice way to say bye to Vermont before you take off for Alaska...! Good luck with your upcoming training...
Posted by: john at April 22, 2007 5:27 PM
Mary your plan sounds good. I predict that as long as you can get some consistent momentum and your mileage is high ; you will be ready for your race in July. You are great at getting in the miles when you are hitting your routine...so I'd focus on that; I know you can do it..and Vermont 100 will be awesome. I can't wait!
Posted by: Liz at April 22, 2007 5:43 PM
Where will you do your mile repeats? On the treadmill or roads or on the track? Your training goals sound great
Posted by: Haley at April 22, 2007 8:40 PM
Haley, now that the snow is clear I will be able to do the mile repeats on the track. If I had some flat fire trails near me I would do them on the trails but nothing around here is flat. The mile repeats are mostly for confidence and some turnover work.
Posted by: Mary at April 22, 2007 9:26 PM