Sunday, August 28, 2011

Best Week Of The Year

Is it a stretch to call this the best week of 2011 for me? Well, maybe the best week that did not involve a race, how's that? The best training week of the year.

I can't remember a better week.

First, the stats

Distances
Mon - 10.07
Tue - 3.38
Wed - 6
Thu - 8.15
Fri - 6.05
Sat - 4.17
Sun - 3

Mileage for week: 40.82

That's seven runs in seven days. My total run streak is up to 13 consecutive days. And this is my highest-mileage week in months. I usually get close to 40 during January because A) I'm running 13, 15, 18 miles on Sundays and B) I'm refereeing HS soccer games and count the mileage. But this might be my highest mileage week ever of just straight runs, excluding the mileage I get from reffing soccer games.

How am I holding up? Physically, fine. I did feel some heel discomfort on Saturday morning, briefly, but I think that's because I ran eight hilly miles on Thursday and my heels don't like the hills so much.

I'm hoping to extend the streak for another seven days and get up to 20 so hopefully next Sunday I will be able to reflect on that. I don't see any reason why I can't keep going to be honest.

It's really, really hot right now. I was planning 10-12 on Monday but the weather is supposed to be ridiculous on Monday morning. I can't start until about 8 and the forecast for 8 on Monday is 78 and sunny, and it's supposed to be 86 degrees by 10, so I'm not sure a long run will fly on Monday. Might just go for 6-8 or I might get adventurous and split up the mileage, run 6-8 in the morning and do 4-6 in the evening. Oh yeah! Maybe I'll throw in some two-a-days here for kicks.

Regardless, it's been a great week and I really do feel like my legs are getting stronger. Days like the ones I've had are causing a snowball effect. The better I run, the more confidence I gain, the more confidence I gain, the more I want to run. I'm completely embracing this and am glad and grateful that I have the ability to run, both physically and with my job. Believe me, I don't take anything for granted. A month ago I wasn't running jack, and now this.

It truly has been the best training week of the year.

4 comments:

Lauren said...

That's awesome! I'm feeling somewhat in the same boat, ran 40 miles this week and it's my highest mileage week EVER! But i did it in 4 runs, not 7. Wow! Running more than 3 days in a row kills me. I'd rather do long runs 3x/week than run 7x/week! But I"m just weird like that, I like my rest days a little to much! Great job LB!

Rose (Hacker Half Marathon) said...

Great job! What a wonderful week of training - your enthusiasm is contagious :)

Willoughby said...

Wow! Very impressive!

The Jesse said...

Way to go! Isn't it a great feeling when everything comes together so perfectly and leaves you feeling so accomplished?

Love this: "Days like the ones I've had are causing a snowball effect. The better I run, the more confidence I gain, the more confidence I gain, the more I want to run. I'm completely embracing this and am glad and grateful that I have the ability to run" --- I feel the SAME way about my running lately too :)