Threshold Training Week 5

Goals for the week:

Total Mileage 80

Monday: Easy.
Tuesday: 4 miles alternating between 5K and marathon pace, then 10 x 1 min @ 5:20 pace with 3 min jog. Pace: 5:42 and 6:20
Wednesday and Friday: easy miles @ 7:20 or slower. 6 x 30 sec @ 5:20 pace
Thursday: Tempo run 6 miles @ 6:15
Weekend:
12 miles @ 6:40
20 miles @ 7:00

How it played out:
80 miles
6 days running, 9 runs (3 doubles and Wednesday off)
1 failed compound workout
Bagged the second set of sprints
2 boot camp classes


This week was a tough one mentally. I think the midwest winter weather finally broke me. I did my best to pick myself up and dust myself off later in the week with lots of good company for my easy runs and long runs. Wednesday woke up coughing and took some cold medicine and didn't run, but still managed to survive boot camp class.

Key workouts:

Tuesday- Lunch: 6 miles failed workout

What I sent my coach after jogging back to the office in tears.

"These compound workouts are killing me. Apparently I am not in shape to run the 5k or marathon times I have run because I haven't been able to do a single one of these compound sets without falling way off the paces. I stopped after the 1st and 2nd miles to walk it out today because I couldn't hold the pace, and 3/4 through the 3rd mile I quit because my hamstring tightened up and was causing me to limp. None of the miles were even close to the paces.

Jogged back in tears frustrated with myself, frustrated that I can't do these damn workouts, and frustrated that I might have injured myself.

I don't know if I am burned out, overtrained, or if it is just winter, but this is probably the most frustrated I have ever been with my running."

Thursday- Did the tempo with my buddy Salty and basically ignored the watch. The wind was brutal and my hamstring was sore so I just ran by effort.

Again ran 1.5 with Salty, 1 by myself, 1.5 with Salty, and the rest by myself. Ended up doing a bit more than 6 miles to avoid a longer cool down into the wind. Did 6*30 second sprints on the way back but didn't look at the watch for pace. (HW=Headwind)

06:25.5 HW

06:38.3 HW

06:15.4

06:14.2

07:01.6 HW

06:07.7

02:56.5 HW

Averaged 6:27 for the run, not exactly the goal, but given the conditions I considered it a success.

Saturday- Headed out with hopes that my hamstring would behave, and for the most part it was okay. Couldn't quite hit 6:40 in the wind, legs felt like tree trunks and ended up with 12 miles at 6:45.

Sunday- We headed down to Hinckley for some hills and a change of scenery. Goal was 20 at 7:00 pace but again I pretty much ignored the watch and just ran by feel. The hamstring felt much better than expected and while the hills and wind were tough we managed to get in the 20 at 6:57 pace.