Week 3 of Dopey training is in the books. It is definitely summer in North Carolina, so it is really hot and sticky. This week was okay, kind of like last week. I managed to get in all of my runs, a bike ride, and some yoga. While I didn’t do “formal” strength training, I am adding in some exercises after my runs.
Monday
No real workout today. Churchill had a vet appointment, and then I had to get to work. I did some stretching after work but basically took it easy.
Tuesday
Tuesday is tempo day. I did my 10-minute warm-up at 30/30 ratio then switched to 90/30 ratio, hoping to hit a 10K pace of 10:19. This is what my Magic Mile predicted pace would be according to Jeff Galloway. If I can hit this (and sustain it), I can PR Around the Crown 10K on Labor Day weekend. It’s my goal to PR, so I will keep working towards this.
My pace was 11:41, which is way off, but I was also feeling way off that morning. Just super sluggish. Total workout time was about 37 minutes.
Wednesday
Today I got in a 5-mile bike ride. It’s funny about bike rides because they are encouraged, but I don’t feel like it’s a workout like a run. I just rode around my neighborhood and luckily didn’t have any encounters with crazy people in their cars. Pelotonia is in just a few weeks.
Thursday
Thursday is drill day. I’ve been keeping my intervals at 30/30 for these days so I do a warm-up, then cadence drills for 5 minutes, then acceleration gliders before making my way home. My pace stays about the same (low 13:00), which I’m not sure if that’s good or not.
Friday
Churchill had to go back to the vet today because, on Monday, they spilled his blood sample. The poor little guy had to redo this. I decided to do a full 30 minutes of yoga before bed, which was very nice. I was able to clear my head and actually focus on the exercise.
Saturday
Today went wrong in every way. The dogs were up at least once every hour starting at 11 pm. My goal was to wake at 4:15 am, but I was so exhausted that I hit my snooze until 5 am. Finally, I pulled myself out of bed because I knew how brutal the heat/humidity would be if I waited any longer.
I finally got my tail out of the door around 6:20 am for a 14-mile long run. The set pace for my long runs is 13:40. On our Tuesday call, Coach Twiggs referenced this as a stop sign. You can go slower, but you aren’t supposed to speed. I changed my ratio to 20/30 to try to slow down to this on my last run, which worked okay.
For the first 6 miles, I was definitely speeding. I kept trying to slow down, but I was having a hard time without constantly walking. My other goal was to worry about fueling. My fingers swell in the heat/humidity and Salt Sticks tabs are supposed to help with this, so I started taking them from the beginning. I had a Ucann gel around mile 4. I wasn’t hungry, but you’re supposed to stay ahead of things.
Well, I could feel the heat around the halfway point. Pretzels were my next snack, so I ate about 5 during the next mile, which was a win because I didn’t feel nauseous. I was still trying to keep up my ratio. By mile 9, I knew I couldn’t do it and gave up to straight walking. I took a really hilly route, so I could get some more exercise, knowing that I would be walking. Around mile 9, I decided to have my Honey Stinger gummies. They are yummy, but I was feeling nauseous around mile 11, so I have to think that is a cause. I just can’t handle sugar.
The END!
By mile 11, I couldn’t even give it a go at running. I really slowed my walk down. Coach says to just cover the miles. Well, I listened, and I got them in. It was ugly, but I did what was on the training plan. I was so wet from sweat. My legs were tired, my left calf was sore from mile 2 or 3, and my hands were swollen and hurting. But I was done and that was the biggest goal.
Sunday
It was another hot Carolina day, so it was nice to visit my parents and go to the pool. I was able to get in 45 minutes of light swimming. I know it’s doing something, but I never feel tired until I get out of the water. Maybe it’s because you don’t sweat in the pool. Not sure, but it was a nice activity to add to the training cycle.
Take Away
I have a lot to figure out with fueling and hydration during this Dopey training session. I love my hydration pack, but I was so tired by 14, I don’t know how I could do 26 (let alone 3 times in a matter of 2.5 months). Trust the training. Trust the plan. This is what I need to do, but I can’t help but think I need to run more during the week. I really want to be a better runner, but I’m not sure what to do.
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