I know it’s been 3 weeks since my last post but things are STABLE, which is my favorite state 😉
Since my last race, and PR, at the Achilles – hope and possibility 5Miler, I’ve been running. Not a lot of miles, about 25 miles a week, doing speed work twice a week, and a few easy runs. I opted out of most races I wanted to do in July because I felt I needed to train a bit more, but I’ll be back racing this weekend or next for sure, I miss it!!!
I am struggling to do two speed workouts a week: I am tired on all my runs!!! I’ve reduced the amount of intervals, I’ve slowed down and I am still tired when I start. When I get going, I nail the goal of the workouts, but I wish I felt springier and ready to go at the start… I think that if I can hit the pace, it’s all ok. Here’s an example of the last 3 weeks:
Notes:
1- I write some intervals by pace instead of time. I know that’s SUPER weird, but I am SO BAD at timing myself that many times I forget to start or lap or whatever, so I’ll have laps that are .0.23 or 0.26, this is easier. Even the ones I did at the track, sometimes I miscount laps and I have “miles” that are 0.75!! UGH.
2- most of these runs, I’d say 80% of them, started with me saying something like this feels awful. I am always tired. I am not sure if it’s because I don’t warm up with drills or what. When I am doing a hard run, I feel better towards the middle. When I am doing an easy runs, I just suffer through the whole thing. Apparently going hard is easier than going easy. Figure that!
3- it’s been quite hot and humid but I don’t know that it has affected much of these workouts. So I am ruling that out.
4- Mileage is low: I’ve only had 4 weeks the 30 miles a week this year. These are my monthly totals:
5- I have never before done speedwork twice a week. I do intervals on Tuesday: 400s, or 800s or ladders or whatever. And then I alternate Saturdays between Mile Repeats and Tempos. Tempos are around 7:10 to 7:20 and Mile Reps at about 6:45 to 6:55.
6- I’ve been doing my running drills every week. Some weeks TWICE
7- My Target Race (a Half Marathon) is exactly two months out. I am hoping to break 1:37 (which is my PR). What would you change/add/do???
runningandthecity 
Great job on all of that speed work.!! that’s pretty impressive.
and I love how it’s all nicely organized on a chart and all.
That half marathon PR is going to be yours 🙂
LikeLike
awwwww, thanks!!!!! Will try my best!
LikeLike
I would try to hit a round number for mileage 😉 Lol, JK obviously, but the OCD in my is outraged! 4.61?? 6.6?? If I finish the week and my weekly mileage is 47.1 instead of 47 I get upset. I do indeed have [very serious] problems.
The plan looks great and it’s obviously working for you so definitely keep doing whatever you’re doing!
You’re probably tired because of the heat. In the winter/spring/fall, I finish my long runs and yes, I’m tired, but I can manage to shower, eat, and then maybe take a nap. In the summer, as soon as I’m done with my long run, I stretch, change into a dry shirt, drink my recovery shake and pass out. I cannot even bring myself to shower right away! Gross, I know. While training for NJ, I started taking Omega 3 supplements and that seemed to increase my energy levels a bit. Maybe give it a try?
LikeLike
that is quite serious. I finish when I get home, or tired, or bored… Period. Don’t care about numbers. I have another friend like you so sometimes when i end a run on something like 4.98 I send her a screenshot and I swear I can hear her head exploding!!!
See, I am fine when I start pushing the pace and after, but when I start the runs is when I feel like hell, like for 5 minutes if it’s the warm up, or the whole run if it’s easy pace… but not more tired after than a regular day…!
MMM, not sure about supplements, I feel like everything messes something else up, I used to take omega oils and multivitamins and stopped it al and felt the same… not sure… maybe it’s the heat like you said, it IS affecting me even if I don’t feel it?!?!
LikeLike
Mmm I’m pretty sure it is affecting you somehow.. you’re human after all 😉 Maybe it doesn’t make you run slower, but it still makes you feel more tired! Think about when you go to the beach… you lay down and relax for hours, yet you come back home and you’re crazy tired anyway (that applies to me at least). Heat effect! Running or not, I’m always more tired in the summer.
Personally, it takes me FOREVER to warm up! I always do dynamic stretching and drills, yet I always feel like hell for the first 2/3M of my run. Remember when you made fun of me when I told you I warm up for 2M before a half?? But I need it 😉 I learned not to push the pace for the first few miles because I know that, if I take it easy, my legs will suddenly wake up and feel great. Suck it up and the beginning and you’ll be rewarded – that’s my new motto.
LikeLike
you’re 100% right. I come home from sitting 2 hours in the beach and I end up going to sleep super early, but I always thought it was because I was extra relaxed (which, how could I be coming back on the MTA???).
haha ok, won’t make fun of you anymore 😉 I only feel like I “need” a warm up on the easy runs, I am ok on the hard workouts or races (no pain suffered, no warm up needed) but the easy slow runs seem SOOOO painful and slow!
LikeLike
I’m cracking up – “ugh, running sucks”, “worst run ever” – I realize these are not meant to be funny but I’m half laughing because I hear myself saying those exact same thing! Don’t beat yourself up too much. The heat sucks the life out of you. You got a sub-1:37 in you, I know it! Keep it up!
LikeLike
i don’t, I just wish it felt easier when I KNOW I am finally in good shape… this is quite contradictory, but it might be normal… I don’t feel bad in the heat but I am starting to think it might be affecting me anyway. Today, i run 2 miles then I did drills for a long time, then I did 4 more miles and I felt better towards the end, with all the miles and drills in me, so maybe it’s a matter of warming up!!!
LikeLiked by 1 person
You know, I’ve noticed that if I take it easy on myself and give myself 2-3 miles to warm up, I feel a ton better! I never needed that before…hmmmmm…
LikeLike
Interesting. that only seems needed (in my case) in the easy runs though. when I am running hard, I just don’t notice. do you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I feel like it takes me until the end of an easy run to be warmed up! Maybe it’s because we are sufficiently tired from our other more challenging workouts we’ve done that week? I also notice it on long runs- if I start easy and warm up I can nail some fast paced miles at the end.
LikeLike
yes, on the long runs. I start super slow and them ramp UP like crazy, but yes, the first miles need to be suuuper easy to push the last workout OUT!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Training for a Half? Newport Half Marathon Entry Giveaway! | runningandthecity
Pingback: July was just a lot of quality training… hello August racing! | runningandthecity
Pingback: Well, I hated August! | runningandthecity
Pingback: September Runs: smells like hope and recovery | runningandthecity
Pingback: October: no need to taper but there was a wild race and a cold | runningandthecity
Pingback: December was a rockstar of a month. Even if mileage was small ;-) | runningandthecity