Thursday Long Run Thread 6/3
Been a rough 48 hours for me. Did a 4 mile Brick run on Tuesday am, flew to WV and then ran a very hot 4 in the evening. Did the run intervals yesterday am. Very hot and humid. Rather than 3x1 I ended up doing 1x3 which was 5k at a hair under 19 mins. Somehow got home early last night and rode for a little more than an hour. Knew this morning would be tough. Forecast called for thunderstorms and Kevin was talking about 15-18. It was hot and windy but not raining. Went with the rain vest. It was so hot and sticky I do not think it mattered much anyway. Ran with Kevin for 10 or so and then he took off to start some intervals. I wanted no part of that. Decided to run some hills albeit very slowly. Ended up with a tad more than 14. Started sprinkling just when I finished.
Entire workout (7.5 mph):
Duration: 1:53:59
rTSS: 149.4 (0.836)
NGP: 7:42 (209.1 m/min)
Distance: 14.214 mi
Elevation Gain: 2413 ft
Elevation Loss: 2360 ft
Grade: 0.1 % (54 ft)
Min Max Avg
Speed: 1 10.1 7.5 mph
Pace 5:58 60:21 8:01 min/mi
Altitude: 101 478 364 ft
In the last 48 hours I have run 30 miles, biked 2 and a half hours and been on 4 airplanes. Feeling a tad shelled. How was yours?
Comments
I've moved my Thu long runs to Wed for scheduling purposes and yesterday was the first attempt. All I can say is UGH!
I missed my morning time slot for the run so had to start the run mid-morning after getting some work done. The heat/humidity wasn't as high as it would be later in the day, but it slammed me like a brick wall. I think I must still be recovering from the cold or whatever I had coming back from Belize 2 weeks ago because I couldn't hit my higher paces at all. Everything started ok w/ 20' LRP but when I tried to do my 15' MP section I couldn't hold it, it felt like I was trying to run 100m intervals or something. So I backed off to LRP again and figured I'd just do 50' of LRP and then nail my HMP intervals. Problem is that by about 40' in I was struggling to hold LRP. So I pulled the plug on the long run when I hit the end of what should have been my 'warmup' and found that I was a good 00:20 min/mi slower than LRP pace for the entire endeavor at that point. Try again next week I guess.
I just did the work part of the run today as my legs are still tired from the miserable 1/2 mary on Sunday. Did hit the numbers though.
Out the door @ 0500. 71 degrees and 97% humidity. Good news is the knee behaved (thank you Leigh Boyle for advice!!). Bad news is my head
me the entire time with some negative press. Gotta work on that!!
Sports bra chafing, booooo! Didn't bother me on the run but I'm sitting here at work slightly uncomfortable. It was hyoooooomid out there - multiple water bottle refills.
Knocked out 8 miles in 60 minutes on the treadmill this morning and hit all the prescribed intervals. Legs are feeling pretty good but I'm starting to become filled with dread as the long-term forecast is calling for hot and humid at Eagleman next weekend. No shade to hide under on that course. Trying to run fast in hot/humid conditions just kills me. I may try for a couple of short noon-time runs over the next several days just to try to get some kind of acclimitization happening.
Sounds like a rough morning all around. Heat and humidity certainly make it harder. Food for thought on that issue though is that the run leg of an IM takes place pretty much in the hottest and most humid part of the day. 1-3 O'Clock right? Most of us never run, let alone run long at that time of day. Old school pro and prolific ST poster Steve Fleck talks about the need to do some running in the heat of the day to get used to it. Not sure if that matters but it may be worth thinking about when developing a pacing plan. We alway hear about how "hot" it was on the run. "Must have been 90 degrees" etc. It wasn't, just felt like it after swimming and riding for 7 hours.
There really are very few days when it will be more comfortable to run in the middle of the afternoon as opposed to the early morning.
like everyone else... the run this morning was rough bc of the temps... thank goodness it was only 70 minutes (with only 25 in work mode... dialing down to taper mode). My legs are fried and I am really looking forward to tapering beginning Sunday (Sunday RR; Mon 40 min run, swim; Ts 60 min bike, 20 min run; Wd 2800m swim; Th 70 min run... I need a day off... Sunday won't get here soon enough)!
@Chris, Suzanne - re training in the heat to get acclimated-- in another thread, I followed up another Q of the coach with that one -- ... and the coaches weighed in with some good thoughts. I'll try to find it and post the link.
@Gina - really glad the knee held up!
For a number of reasons - I LIKE running when it's warm; I live where it doesn't get very hot (85 is sweltering, happens 1-2 weeks a year), I HATE running early in the AM, and I want to train as I will race - I've been doing my long runs around 1-4 in the PM. I don't think it makes any difference in terms of how things roll out on race day, though.
Today, though, I broke my pattern and ran 9-12 along the Rio Grande trail beside the Roaring Fork River, just about the most beautiful bike path in the world, IMO. Clouds, slight breeze, 61-71F, on a route which is on a 1-2% steady grade. It was the longest (time/distance) training run I've done in the past 2-3 years. 2:35, 18 miles, 60' @ LRP, 60' @ "midway between LRP and MP, then 30' @ MP. The LRP/MP was tough to do, as it was a new pace for me and I have no RPE to link to it. For the first 30', I kept bouncing between the two until I figured out how it felt (I generally use breathing as my cue for how hard I'm going). HR avg was 117, which astounded me, considering I did the run @ 6500' altitude, and I usually do around 120-124 for my long runs.
This is the last long run before IM CDA, 3 weeks and 3 days from now. It was good practice, focus-wise, to experience grumpiness from my hip flexors and quads, and just run through it, basically ignoring those sensation, which is what one has to do in the latter half of the IM run.
My legs were feeling heavy from all the riding over the long weekend so I just ran comfortably for an hour instead.
No long run for me as it was a vdot test (week 4 general prep).
I went out in the rand an did a 25:50 5k this morning, with a new vdot of 36.8 up from 33. I apparently cruised out too fast and was just holding on. Mile splits were 8:09, 8:23: and 8:35.
Couple this with a 7 watt bump on the FTP from Tuesday and it's been a good week, now at 241.
I just have to set my T pace in the pool tomorrow and I'm ready to start the 12 week IM plan on monday.
Gordon
@Gordon ; - nice bumps! the achilles must be on the mend! woo hoo!
@ Mancona - you are worthless and weak
I had every intention of running this AM, however sleep won when the alarm went off at 5:15AM. I did get it done after work though. Looked like it was going to rain the entire time, but managed to get in before the thunder came. Other than not having any fluid as my bottle was filled with expired gatorade that my sister brought home from college
run was uneventful. Much better than last weeks long run when I got bit by the dog! (I found a different route today to avoid that house)
@ Mancona: shocked!! Good to know you are human too.
News Flash: Mancona goes big time, gets sponsored, and skips a long run.
Just bustin' ya, Matt. Sometimes you just gotta do what you gotta do. Smart move.
I hit another milestone on my road to running recovery. My workout schedule has been all whacked since ToC, so I tried to keep it real this week. However, Sunday I ran 12 miles. 1st time I've run that long since last summer. Today, I ran 14. It took me 2hrs, but I got it done. That includes some stops to stretch every 15' and a nature break and water refill. Just like most others, it was humid as hell. But, with 3 miles left, the sky openend and I got poured on just like Lake Placid in 2008. This was a tough run. Running long on Sunday, a couple of short ones in between, then another long one today, made for a tough day. But I got it done and mentally, I feel good. Physically, I'm sore and achy, but isn't that just a constant state of being when you 7 weeks out from an IM? I also lost 7lbs of fluid.
Hats off to you guys who get it done in the AM. You keep me motivated throughout the day.
Dave
Perks of working in a nice gym, have all this great equipment in front of me, but cons are that members and work responsibilities first so can't always get my workouts in even through I'm right there.
Anyways, planning on doing my long run tomorrow around 2pm, likely on TM so I can stick with target paces and have access to additional water if needed easily.
Was foggy and humid, not too hot thankfully, 11.7mi in 1:53 the HMP intervals were HARD.
@Dave: Great to hear your run is coming along!
I agree with Dave- the people that get it done earlier get me motivated. Thanks folks! Dave- glad your running is progresiing
I worked an evening shift last night, and took a while to chill and go to sleep. No way i was gonna get up at 5a. When i did get up at 830ish it was already hot, hot, hot and humid. We did get a brief storm which cooled things off a little, still humid. I did an 1 1/2 hrs of running walking. Struggled mentally, as I have been coming back from my knee and foot problems. Toward the end, was using some visualization stuff ie thing about coming to tennis courts at Lake Placid, and being grateful that i could run again. This was my longest run/walk since coming back. I can't wait to have a run like Al's
, Nice job its just going to take some time
Kitima- Sounds like your knee is doing well, Excellent!
Thanks Kit and Tracy. I'm quite grateful.
Tracy, nice visualization. I had some similar LP thoughts tonight. Nice work getting it done as you make your comeback.
Dave
I have attempted that simulation myself. Good job...
I'm sorta in a plan right now ans sorta not with a lot of short course races approaching. However , I headed to the lake front last night and got in 14 miles in 1:44:58. Mainly just sat at 7:30's on the way out but did three miles at 6:59, 7:00, 6:58 and was cooked. The run penciled out to 7:30 on the nose.
Remember that on these hot runs, it's the latter half of the run and your performance there that shows if your pacing and fitness are lined up...good luck!
Now that's hard core! I did get my 90 min long run done this morning. It's only 78ish but really humid so I think the prep for Eagleman next weekend is in full swing.
Thanks P- your points on pacing in the heat are well noted. My wave doesn't start until 8:00 so I'll be starting the run around noon- ugh. I'm gonna be taking that run REALLY easy!