Week 6 training and notes.

Goal for this week: to maintain mileage and intensity. Since this is the 6th week, my body SHOULD be adapting the stresses I've imposed on it. So, after this week, I'll have to tweak my routine in the following ways: add volume and intensity. But here's the thing: no more than 10% total change otherwise, I'll risk injury.

I should remark that I've just received two training manuals. I haven't read them completely yet, so I'll save that for a future blog. Let me just say that I wish I'd have read more about running before I "ran" blindly into injury. Though at times there is no rhyme or reason for why our bodies fail, there are many actions a runner can do to prevent injury. Not increasing mileage too much is one of them, as is lifting weights 2-3 times a week and keeping up a regular core-strengthening routine. I did none of those things before. Now, however, things have changed. I'll keep you posted. Without further ado, here's what I've been up to:

Monday 1/25: 8.8 miles easy in 60'.
Tuesday 1/26: 10.34 miles Easy on the treadmill. I wanted so badly to go outside and do a long run today, but the sky was cloudy and it was generally cold.
Wednesday 1/27: 16.83 miles, outside in Reno, NV. Time: 2:11 (which is about a 7:47 pace.) Not great, but not bad. It did feel awesome to be outside, even if it was more or less "gray" the entire time (save for the final minute of my run when the sun peeked through the clouds... but only for a second.)
Thursday 1/28: 7.78 miles on the treadmill.
Friday 1/29: AM :2-mile warm up, 7-mile tempo. Tempo done in 47:30 with the 1/2 way mark at 24:40ish. I ran along the Truckee River path in Reno, NV. I felt 100% better than the tempo I did two weeks before outside. Thank heavens there was no vomiting and no stray tampons!  PM: 4 miles easy plus weights and abs.
Saturday 1/30: 8.09 miles outside. I felt sore, slow and fatigued.
Sunday, 1/31: 5.75 miles (45 minutes) on treadmill.

Weekly total mileage: 70.59

Goal for next week: increase quality of running workouts, but reduce (slightly) quantity. Also, develop weights/core workouts to be completed 2-4 times each week to supplement running training.

PLUS: next week, (2/7) will be my first "race" (to run in lieu of tempo): a 10k in Davis, CA. Wish me luck, world.