The Training Week That Was… 10/1-7

This week’s training plan saw a significant reduction in miles for the first time following a five week build-up, from 48 to 36 total miles. It “feels” as though it came at the right time. Despite my efforts to stay on plan, my legs (in particular my knees) seemed as though they were “breaking down” slightly, as evidenced by a lingering discomfort felt during times of inactivity. I’m no doctor, nor do I watch any television shows that depict them realistically (Scrubs, anyone?), but I have a sense that some of the discomfort may be due to the weather… it has been unusually unpredictable, one day warm and humid, the next day not so much.

In the recap below those miles I was schedule to run appear in parentheses. You’ll notice that I liberally switch “days,” but do try to adhere to the daily total. The total mileage I had been scheduled to run this week was 36 miles:

Legend: R = Running, w/A (with my wife, Anne). I've also noted increases (+x) or decreases (-x) from the previous week)

Monday: (Recovery Day)
Tuesday: (4) R 5 miles
Wednesday: (8) R 6.4 miles
Thursday: (6) R 8.4 miles
Friday: (Recovery Day)
Saturday: (10) R 10 miles
Sunday: (8) R 9.9 miles (8.1 solo + 1.8 w/Anne)

TOTALS--R 39.7 (-3.5 miles from the previous week)
Weigh-In*: 179 lbs. (+4 lbs.!) [* took place at 5:00 a.m. on 10/1]

The tracking of my weight has also become something of a tiresome issue for me (as it long has been for my wife). This week you’ll notice a substantial up-tick from the previous week’s 175 lbs., and don’t think I did not try to rationalize my knee aches as a side-effect of increased “fatness,” I don’t think I’ve really “gained” any real weight. At this point, my goal is to maintain a weight of between 178 and 180, thereby staying at a reasonable weight, one which also provides me with reserve fuel, something I’ll need in five weeks when I run the 50k.

Breathe in, breathe out... YOU AND I ARE ALIVE!