Earth Day 50k Recovery Week 2

With two weeks down and one week to go, I feel like I am recovering well since the Earth Day 50k. I have been running very little, with a lot of focus on cross training and yoga. And rest. Lots of rest. It really is amazing how much more time I have on the weekend when I don't have to run 20 miles, but there have been days where I'm itching to run.



Not running often is really weird for me, but I am trying to enjoy this time for what it is. Marathon season will be here before I know it, and I will be longing for these weeks of little running. I also know my body needs it. While it feels wonderful to run without accumulated fatigue and lots of miles, the last thing I want to do is burn out or get injured.

Here is a sample of what a week of active recovery looks like:

Monday: Rest
Tuesday: 3 miles easy, Sports Massage
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: 40 minutes of kick-boxing
Friday: Jasyoga - Running Efficiency Boost
Saturday: 4 miles easy
Sunday: 5 miles easy

My April total mileage was: 117.82 which is pretty high considering I did not run much the last two weeks of the month and the first half of the month was a taper.

I still like running!

My run on Tuesday felt harder than it probably should have, but I was interested in checking out the flooded trail that I run on most weekdays. By Saturday, my legs felt rested enough to head back to the trail for the first time since my race, and I ran a pretty fast 4 miles for someone in "recovery". It was one of those runs where you know you should hold back a bit, but you just can't help yourself. The weather was perfect, the scenery was beautiful, and I took the time to really appreciate trail running again and the confidence I now have after finishing my ultra. Despite some of the disappointments I have with my race, finishing has given me a new sense of confidence heading into marathon training season. It feels good to not be starting training now, as most runners I see out now are doing. I finished my big spring race, and it feels good to be able to sit back and enjoy this time.

Reunited and it feels so good

Saturday I spent time at the Team PAWS expo, which really made me excited thinking about the marathon. It also reminded me of how much I enjoy the charity aspect of my running, and why I do it. Running for Team PAWS last year was an amazing experience, and one that I cannot wait to repeat again this year.

I run for animals!

Heading into one more week of recovery, my focus is shifting to maintenance. I still have a few months before I need to think about training for the Chicago Marathon, so my plan is to maintain my fitness from the ultra until I need to shift back into training mode. If you have been reading my blog for a while, you know that I used the Hansons 8 week maintenance plan last year after the Chicago marathon for most of the winter until my half marathon in January. I enjoyed this plan, but I am looking for something a bit different now that I am working again. The Hansons plan was great when I was unemployed, but I need something a bit more flexible that still incorporates speedwork and tempo runs which is what I benefit most from during maintenance. I finally had a chance to read my Jack Daniels Running Formula book, and selected one of the plans in there as it seems like a good fit for what I am looking for, I am still exploring marathon training plans, but Ill get a feel for Daniels over the next few weeks. You can expect a weekly report on how this type of training is working for me, and should help me maintain a good base heading into marathon training season.