Last week was a planned volume down week so I only logged 7 hours of training time. My normal programs involve three weeks of a build up then a one week recovery. That meant that last week was a planned down week and my body needed it.
This week I got back to business and have a full week planned with one slight recovery day, Friday. The only problem is that this week it is FREEZING outside. Artic air from Canada makes it feel like the single digits with the wind chill. That means I will do more running on the treadmill and biking on the stationary bike at work.
Monday I was still feeling it from my run on Saturday. My legs felt heavy but I knew I needed to get moving. I did 60 minutes on the bike at a good 90-100 RPM rate and my sweat rate confirmed I was woorking hard. My heart rate average only 111, but I am focusing on the endurance of the ride right now since the marathon is under 30 days away. I am not focusing too much on the bike, just keeping the RPM high and building endurance, thats it.
Tuesday was mentally a killer for me. I have mentioned before how much I dislike treadmill running. Well today I needed to run 9 miles and it was just too damn cold to go outside, winds at 25 mph and wind chill temps around 10 degrees, no way for me. I don't mind the cold, but the wind kills me. So I did 9 miles on the treadmill. Usually once I get past 3 miles or so I settle into a nice pace and focus on form and speed. Today I didn't have that discipline. I found that I kept looking at the treadmill clock and distance, waiting for it to say 60 minutes or 9 miles. Mentally it was killing me. But I pushed thru it in just over 60 minutes. My HR avaeraged 137 so I was doing OK with my training zone.
Wednesday was a "triple header" for me. Again it is too cold to go outside, so I ran 4 miles on the treadmill. My heart rate was higher at 147, and I am not really sure why. My pace was no different from the other day. After my run, I went and did a weight training session. I go pretty vigorously in my sessions, keeping my HR at 119 on average. I work 4 movements and go from one to the next with no break in between and repeat that two times. Today's session was just under 40 minutes on my watch, but I missed 4-5 minutes easy because I forgot to start it. After the weights I hop on the stationary bike for 30 minutes at 90-100 RPM with a HR near 130 on average, again trying to just work on endurance. I adjust the level from a 3 up to a 10 during the workout. I subjectively do this by my sweat rate and how I feel, not just my HR.
Overall it has been a good couple days. With the holidays quickly approaching and my Marathon Program coming to a close, its good timing. It will be a busy couple weeks. My kids only have a few more days of school and "Santa" needs to build some toys before the big day comes, so I need to manage my time effectively. I am working hard on the nutrition frot, but sometimes I "jump" off the wagon and head for a cookie at work. This will be a real challenge the next 24 days as I head to Disney.
This marathon I will most likely be my heaviest at 182 lbs. The Marine Corp I was 169 on race day and Boston I was about 172. I am not "fatter", just heavier. I have always tracked my body fat % and weight to determine where I feel is my best racing weight. Right now I feel good, and I think 175 lbs is best for me. My BF% has maintained while adding some weight. I have added lean muscle mass to my frame with my current weight training program. The was an intended goal heading into late fall/early winter. I wanted some more muscle on my frame well before I start my real Ironman training programs.
Hopefully the winds die down and I can get outside Thursday. I want one more outside day before my long run on this weekend. This is the last long run of my program, 22 miles then I start to taper down. Looking forward to that.
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