End of Week Seven (12/20/07)

It is only Thursday and I am already writing my week ending wrap up. The difference between running three days per week and four days is huge. With a four run week, you are forced to have at least two runs on consecutive days. If you don’t plan well, you can be forced to run on three straight days. This happened to me on a few weeks in the Base Phase. Three runs per week is much more forgiving to the legs and the scheduling.

This was the first week of the Endurance Phase. The plan called for a weekend 9 miler followed by two mid week 6 milers.

Sunday was my day for the 9 miler. I had a busy morning with 8:30 Mass, Peter’s CCD Christmas Show and other household odds and ends. The weather forecast called for low 40’s and rain. By the time I went out for the run, the rain had stopped and the skies actually cleared up.

Earlier in the week, I went on the G-Map Pedometer web site to map out a couple alternatives for a 9 mile run. Where I live it is impossible to avoid lots of hills on a loop course or an out and back run. I know that running hills is good strengthening work, but I wanted to avoid excessive hills if I could.

I decided on a point-to-point run from my house to my father’s house. Patti and the kids would meet me there later for dinner. I played with lots of routes until I came up with one that measured almost exactly 9 miles. There was one stretch of road that I was unfamiliar with, so I took Danny for a driving lesson on the route to make sure the road went through and I wasn’t stuck 7 miles from home at some dead end. I even stashed a water bottle at mile 6.

I started the run at 3:15 and a little tired from the day’s activity. By the time I got to mile 2, I realized that I once again my outdoor running was faster than my treadmill pace. The course worked out well and had two significant sets of hills; each with a long downhill, followed by a shorter, but steep uphill. Since this was my first official ‘Long Run’ of the plan, I was allowing myself a 10 minute per mile pace. I was pleased with the run and finished in 1:23:39, a 9:18 pace. The run felt great; I could have gone faster. I put together a ninety minute playlist and didn’t even make it to the last song. Of course I forgot about the water bottle until I was about 200 yards beyond the spot. No way was I turning back.

I didn’t feel it until Monday, but I woke up to significant soreness. While walking around Monday, I was somewhat concerned that my two mid week runs would be tough and I might end up wishing I had gone slower on Sunday. I took Tuesday off also. This is the beauty of running three days a week.

I had no choice on Wednesday and took it slow for my 6 miler at the Y. This run actually helped shake the aching from my legs. I decided to run the next day (today) to finish off my week with a slightly faster 6 miler. All runs and miles were completed for the week.

Next week, I need to get in an 11 miler on the weekend and two mid week 6 milers. With Christmas in the middle of next week (Tuesday), I will need to be flexible on when I can run. Our friend Suzy is training for a January half marathon and is looking for some running companionship. We are going to run together this weekend. I just need to find a way to work her 8 miler into my 11 miler. The Ridley Creek State Park loop should be a good place for that.

I actually feel guilty about finishing this week on Thursday. But something tells me that tomorrow morning, I will be grateful to have the day off.