Week in Review: April 4- 10

Monday April 4, 2011: AM: Full strength routine at the gym. Felt a little tired this morning; but the 4am wakeup can do that once in a while.

PM: Treatment

Tuesday April 5, 2011: PM: 9.5miles (1:17) Decided that I would put a bit of a test on the left leg tonight. I did one of my favorite staple workouts over at Loutet Park. A 1.2mile loop on the surrounding bark-mulch path down 300feet to the gate/ returning back up the climb. Splits: (4:52/4:52, 5:00/4:42, 4:54/4:40). I took the downhills really conservative and tried to pick it up on the return. Good progression on the sets but definitely was a little gassed by the end. Out of shape.

Wednesday April 6, 2011: PM: 10miles (1:25) 850'vertical. One of my favorite evening loops down to Bridgeman by the river then returning home. Felt pretty decent tonight. Took a bit to get rolling but was happy with the effort. Steady. Knee felt strong.

Thursday April 7, 2011: AM: 4+miles (37min) Super easy recovery run at 4:30am. Nice morning. There is something about the stillness that is absolutely intoxicating. As much as it is a drag getting up sometimes, I always feel better after. Either way, its only an hour earlier than I would have to wake for work anyways.

Friday April 8, 2011: AM: 18miles (3:02) 2800'vertical. Solid long run on the trails. Other then getting bit by a dog, things went fairly smoothly. Being a Friday morning I found myself alone for the near entirety of the effort. I passed the odd folks out for a morning hike but other then that, it was a solo endeavor, my preference indeed. I seem to develop a deeper more inherent connection with my surrounding environment when I have few distractions but my own circular thoughts and the ground under my feet.

Saturday April 9, 2011: AM: 3.5miles (25min) Circuit Workout at the Track. 1+mile w/u and 1+mile c/d. Went like this: Run a 300m with jog in/out. Straight into the following sets of exercises with another 300m set between each sequence of 4 exercises: Lateral lunge (10x) Body squat (20x) Lateral Leg Raise (8x toe in, out, parallel) Groiners (10x): Next sequence: front lunge (10x) Wide Outs (10x) Pronated Pedestal (45sec) Supinated Pedestal (45sec): Next sequence: Back Lunge (10x) Back and Side Lunge (10 per side) Prone Pedestal with leg raises (10 each leg) Supinated Pedestal with leg raise (10 each leg): Next Sequence: Squat Thrust (10x) Push-ups (10x) Iron Cross (10) Scorpion (10). First time I have done one of these workouts and must say that I enjoyed it. It is a Jay Johnson special and was perfect given the severe time restrictions I was under this morning and my desire to get a more full-body workout in.

Spent the rest of the day with the Impulse Team at the Diez Vista 50km. Wishing I was running it. But enjoyed the time just hanging out and talking with various runners/ reps from the industry. Meredith and I also managed a quick hike: 2miles (40min)

Sunday April 10, 2011: 14miles (2:05). Cold and wet. Absolutely poured rain the entire time. Home-Loutet-Bridgman-Richard J- Gazebo- Rice Lake- Headwaters- Return via Lynn Valley Road. Not a great run. Energy was meteoric but my head was just not into it. Left knee was a little sore at the end. Tried to just take it really easy coming in.

Mileage: 61miles (9+hrs)
Cross-Training: Yoga, daily ITB and Planks, Circuit workout, one full gym session.

Not much to say about the week. Just plugging along. I am still limited by this lingering ITBS which I cannot fully shake. Talking with a variety of different people about it, the consensus is that it just needs more time. So that is what I am trying to do while at the same time testing the limits each week. Got to the 3hr range with no pain this week and managed to run 6days/100km, so I suppose that is encouraging. I still need to remain prudent and aware of overdoing it though (I say this as purely a self-reminder as writing the words allows me to internalize the thought at a more significant level). I struggle with the question of whether I would be better off taking a week completely off of running and then resuming full training. Would that ultimately heal it? On that other hand, running, while keeping it pain free, is this the more appropriate approach as I have been doing. I am of the belief/ understanding that rest will not necessarily remedy it and that continuing with the measured training and my daily ITB rehab exercises is ultimately the best course of action. thoughts? Naturally, time is of the essence as I have pending race goals.