GRT 50k Training Week 5

After a nice cut back week, I was excited to start the next training block. The first 4 weeks of the Glacier Ridge Trail 50k training plan were the "Endurance" phase. With week 5, I began the next 4 weeks of the "Pre-50k" block which is designed to help give me the fitness needed for the more difficult workouts ahead. The Pre-50k phase has a lot of hill workouts, and the ever popular, back-to-back long runs!
Thankfully my cut back week and extra rest prepared me well heading into Week 5. Here was what my week looked like:

Monday: Fartlek Run
Tuesday: Rest
Wednesday: 50-70 min easy run
Thursday: XT
Friday: Rest
Saturday: 90-120 min long run, Jasyoga - Recovery Boost
Sunday: 70-90 min long run, Jasyoga - Comprehensive Medicine for Lower Legs and Feet
Total:  27.52 miles
McMillian 3hab, Strength, Core programs 2-3 times per week

The Fartlek run is one I am familiar with from my McMillan marathon plan, so it was really easy for me to pull this one up on my Garmin, with my marathon pace already plugged in. It consisted of 7 x 2 minutes at 10k race pace with 2 min recovery, with a warm up and cool down. I had to run this one on the treadmill and it went well. I find I can tolerate these types of runs on the treadmill more than easy miles. 

Back-to-back long runs are something I am all too familiar with from my last 50k training plan. While I can't say I am thrilled that they have returned, I also know they are a necessary part of ultramarathon training. Thankfully the first of these was relatively mild, with both runs being manageable distances.

I would characterize this week as a "roller coaster". As you'll see in my notes below, I experienced some great highs, with a few lows. Physically my body was well rested and ready to roll, but mentally I was not in a great spot for a lot of the week. I was also not feeling well, and this contributed to extra fatigue and overall "blah-ness". 

My goal is to be as happy as Autumn is running in the snow

Runner Highs:
  • Long Run: The first of my long runs went so well. I attribute this to my increased positive mental state. I knew the run would be hard, with more than a foot of snow covering the ground, but I told myself to stay nice and steady, and I absolutely rocked it. My pace was great, I felt relaxed and calm, and I really enjoyed this run. 
  • Endurance: This is the first week where I can say that I have noticed my increased endurance after the 4 weeks of the stamina training block. On both snowy runs, I felt that I had the stamina to get through each run, and that my pace felt nice and easy, and was actually faster than I would have thought it to be. Sometimes I feel that I should be running or doing more, and it's nice to realize that I am doing enough. I am getting stronger.
  • Running by time: I still struggle from time to time with running by time instead of miles, but in winter weather, I so very much appreciate running by time. I feel less pressure to complete X miles in the snow, and just accept whatever I can do in that time period. I think this has helped me mentally get through some difficult runs, and I find myself thinking about training a lot differently than I have before. 
Challenges:
  • Sickness: I started to get sick while in Austin, and I couldn't shake it all week. No matter how much sleep I got, I still felt tired. I moved around some of my runs for days I felt better which is one reason I love this plan, but I lacked a lot of excitement and motivation for most of the week. 
  • Weather: The weather sucked this week. It snowed just about every day, and it made getting outside really difficult. All I wanted was to be back in Austin, sitting outside in the sun. I really was having a hard time accepting that this is where I live and have to be right now. I did work to make this into a positive, as I forced myself out twice in the snow, and had great runs each time. I never regretted getting out there.
  • Prehab/Strength/Core: While I did these things, I didn't enjoy any of it. Perhaps it was being sick or not having a great mindset this week, but I felt myself going through the motions. The Prehab this week was "core" and I felt that it was redundant to the core program I was already doing. I feel I am getting really bored with the Strength and Core programs.
Week 6 is already one third of the way through the plan! It is crazy to already be thinking that, but I hope that means spring is right around the corner....


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