Training Recap: April 8-14

Four more to go! This week of training ended on the four week mark from Ice Age 50 Mile. I have to say it was one of my most intense weeks of training. It was far from my highest mileage, but it included some really good workouts on the hills, which ratcheted up the intensity. I wanted to prepare myself for the rolling hills speckled throughout the Ice Age Trail, so I did more workouts than I normally would have—and felt really good doing them.

I have noticed speedier recovery times since I started taking Extreme Endurance in the morning and evening. I thought this product would help simply based on the science behind it, but I am quickly becoming a believer based on personal experience as well. I have also increased my ratio of fats to carbs, which certainly also contributed to speedier recovery times. When running, I always listen to my body first, and this is how I determine how many intense days to include. Typically this has meant two to three intense runs per week on a hard week. This week, though, after being supported with Extreme Endurance and a higher-fat diet, I followed the same steps I normally do when listening to my body but managed five intense runs! I did four bouts of hill repeats and one nine-mile tempo run at 5:45 per mile.

Normally I would have followed this up with a down week because after two higher weeks (in this case 129mi and 134mi, respectively) my body tells me to let it bounce back a bit. However, I feel much better then I normally do after two training weeks like I just had, so will probably go a little harder next week. Fortunately this will fit nicely with my taper schedule for Ice Age. So... as long as my body says go. I'm going to let it!

Please check out a more detailed outline of all my runs below.

Sunday	20 mile hill repeats/long run - 15x Sled Hill Silver Creek - Various rolling hills at Silver Creek
Monday	AM: 10 mile easy run PM: 10 mile easy run
Tuesday	AM: 17 mile hill repeats - 25x City Park Sled Hill - 3x City Park Loop - 25x City Park Sled Hill - 3x City Park Loop PM: 6 mile shake out run
Wednesday	10 mile easy run
Thursday	AM: 10 mile tempo - 9 miles at 5:45/mi PM: 11 mile easy run
Friday	AM: 10 mile hill repeats - 3x City Park Loop (rolling) - 25x City Park Sled Hill - 3x City Park Loop (rolling) - 10x City Park Sled Hill PM: 10 mile easy run
Saturday	20 mile hill repeats/long run - 3x City Park Loop (rolling) - 25x City Park Sled Hill - 3x City Park Loop (rolling) - Hour flat - 30 min progression run
Total	134 miles

April 2012 Training