Week 11 Training
I did not title this post "Hansons Week 11" since this week was a scheduled rest week and I did not follow week 11 of the Hansons plan. I always build a few extra weeks into my training plan to account for injury, sickness, and vacation. True, I could certainly run on vacation, and I have on many occasions, however I find that my annual camping trip to Michigan usually falls around the time I really need a break from training. I take the time to physically and mentally break from all things running and simply enjoy time with my family doing other activities.
Here was my training plan for the week:
Monday: 7 miles easy
Tuesday: 8 miles tempo
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Speedwork - 4 X 1200m with 400 recovery
Friday: Strength training
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
I still focused on the two most important workouts - tempo and speedwork. I had been behind on each by a week, so I was glad I could "catch up" again and be exactly where I should be around week 10. While Saturday and Sunday were rest days, I was pretty active on our trip in Michigan. Sunday we hiked up the top of a dune in the Warren Dunes State Park, which I will attribute to the last 2 miles of a marathon in terms of leg fatigue! My poor dog was struggling to make it to the top, but the view was worth it!
Speed:
This was my last week of speedwork - wahoo! It happened to be an extremely hot day on Thursday - around 90 degrees with humidity. I planned ahead and created a water drop station for myself where I could stop in between intervals and hydrate. While the heat was brutal, knowing I had cold water set out for myself made a huge difference and I finished my last speed session having hit my pace for all intervals. All in all, I don't mind speedwork. I find that it really helps me focus on my form and improve my cadence. With some rocking music, water, and the right location, speedwork can be a great break from the same old running routine. Strength workouts start this week, and I know I will be missing the speed once I get a reminder of how brutal the strength runs are!
Fatigue Level:
With a few more rest days this week, I feel recovered and ready to endure the next 8 weeks of training. On Friday I did a 20 min quad workout that really kicked my butt - literally and I was pretty sore on Saturday after sitting in the car for 3 hours and sleeping on an air mattress. Soreness is usually a sign I was working a muscle that needed to be strengthen, so it is a good feeling and I am glad I did that workout on a day where I had not planned to run for a few days to give me some time to recover.
Mental & Emotional Strength:
My planned break really helped restore me mentally. I was pretty low after the past few weeks training in the heat, but having spent some time focusing on activities other than running I feel ready to take on the next several weeks of hard marathon training. Much as I discovered last year training, it is easy to get consumed with all things running and marathon. It really does help to take a step back and enjoy other passions that might be neglected during training to really bring back the longing to run again.
Nutrition:
My nutrition was not the best over the weekend camping. I had a lot of dairy products which do not sit well with me, and despite my best attempts to eat fruits and vegetables, the dairy caught up with me and I was in major discomfort Saturday and Sunday. Thankfully it is not hard for me to get back on track and feeling better, and I really am enjoying all of the fresh Michigan produce we bought at the farm stand on the way home.
Week 11 is going to be a rough one, but thankfully I am physically and mentally refreshed and ready to bring it!
Here was my training plan for the week:
Monday: 7 miles easy
Tuesday: 8 miles tempo
Wednesday: Rest
Thursday: Speedwork - 4 X 1200m with 400 recovery
Friday: Strength training
Saturday: Rest
Sunday: Rest
I still focused on the two most important workouts - tempo and speedwork. I had been behind on each by a week, so I was glad I could "catch up" again and be exactly where I should be around week 10. While Saturday and Sunday were rest days, I was pretty active on our trip in Michigan. Sunday we hiked up the top of a dune in the Warren Dunes State Park, which I will attribute to the last 2 miles of a marathon in terms of leg fatigue! My poor dog was struggling to make it to the top, but the view was worth it!
 |
| We climbed this! |
This was my last week of speedwork - wahoo! It happened to be an extremely hot day on Thursday - around 90 degrees with humidity. I planned ahead and created a water drop station for myself where I could stop in between intervals and hydrate. While the heat was brutal, knowing I had cold water set out for myself made a huge difference and I finished my last speed session having hit my pace for all intervals. All in all, I don't mind speedwork. I find that it really helps me focus on my form and improve my cadence. With some rocking music, water, and the right location, speedwork can be a great break from the same old running routine. Strength workouts start this week, and I know I will be missing the speed once I get a reminder of how brutal the strength runs are!
 |
| Water station with a positive message |
Fatigue Level:
With a few more rest days this week, I feel recovered and ready to endure the next 8 weeks of training. On Friday I did a 20 min quad workout that really kicked my butt - literally and I was pretty sore on Saturday after sitting in the car for 3 hours and sleeping on an air mattress. Soreness is usually a sign I was working a muscle that needed to be strengthen, so it is a good feeling and I am glad I did that workout on a day where I had not planned to run for a few days to give me some time to recover.
Mental & Emotional Strength:
My planned break really helped restore me mentally. I was pretty low after the past few weeks training in the heat, but having spent some time focusing on activities other than running I feel ready to take on the next several weeks of hard marathon training. Much as I discovered last year training, it is easy to get consumed with all things running and marathon. It really does help to take a step back and enjoy other passions that might be neglected during training to really bring back the longing to run again.
Nutrition:
My nutrition was not the best over the weekend camping. I had a lot of dairy products which do not sit well with me, and despite my best attempts to eat fruits and vegetables, the dairy caught up with me and I was in major discomfort Saturday and Sunday. Thankfully it is not hard for me to get back on track and feeling better, and I really am enjoying all of the fresh Michigan produce we bought at the farm stand on the way home.
 |
| Michigan blueberries and nectarines are the best |
Week 11 is going to be a rough one, but thankfully I am physically and mentally refreshed and ready to bring it!
Comments
Post a Comment