Training Recap: Feb. 12-18

It was a pretty basic week of training for the most part, making it a good addition to my training base. I would have liked to get some more speedwork or hill sessions in this week, but I was hampered with a sore right ankle for a few days and did not want to push my luck. I am not quite sure why my right ankle was sore. Possibly running 32 miles in slippery conditions the previous Saturday. Regardless, I managed to get in a week full of base miles. The rest from speedwork should give me a fresh set of legs for the coming week. Weather permitting, I would like to get a lengthy tempo run in sometime mid-week.

One thing I was reminded of this week was how beneficial it is to let your legs go hard. My legs were beginning to feel a little sluggish before I invested one of my morning runs into some all out pickups. I have done this type of workout a number of times this winter season, so it was not a huge shock to my legs. Instead, it really loosened things up and allowed me to feel a lot lighter and smooth on the following days. I might try something new next week and put 2 to 4 short pickups at the end of the all or most of my runs. Check back next week if you are curious how this pans out, or if you are the anxious type, follow me on Twitter.

An aspect of my training that I feel has really been working is my body's ability to run smoothly for long periods of time. I know I have mentioned this before, but I sense continued progress in this avenue. I always think back to the first marathon I trained for in 2008. At about mile 18, or around 2 hours into my long runs, my legs would feel like logs. I could maintain pace, but I would have to work much harder. These days I have been able to feel the same from the first stride to the last on runs over 20 miles. In last week's case, I went 32 miles and felt pretty even throughout. I am excited that my body is adapting this way, allowing me to avoid some of the dreadful ups and downs associated with ultra racing.

I have more exciting news that developed since last time I posted. I was blessed to be able to interview with two ultra runners, who are very knowledgeable about the sport. Jerry Armstrong, author of Conversations with the Trail, and Abe Clark, author of Chasing That Elusive Horizon both posted interviews with me. We talked about all things ultra, including training, racing, and future plans. If you have a moment, please check them out!

Below is a detailed list of the miles I logged last week. As mentioned earlier, if you would like more immediate information about how my daily training is going, please follow me on Twitter @zbitter!

Sunday	AM: 20 mile long run PM: 3 mile shake-out run
Monday	AM: 10 mile easy run PM: 10 mile easy run
Tuesday	AM: 10 mile easy run; PM: 12 mile easy run
Wednesday	AM: 10 mile easy run PM: 6 mile easy run
Thursday	AM: 10 mile easy run PM: 10 mile easy run
Friday	AM: 10 mile workout - 10x45 second all-out pickups - 2 minute recovery jogs PM:10 mile easy run
Saturday	22 mile long run
Total	144 miles

February 2012 Training