Training Week 172
Highlight of the Week: Feeling really strong on most of my workouts. And getting my mileage back up! The December running streak inadvertently killed my high mileage/endurance, since I was just running a 5K or so each day.
Monday | January 28, 2013: 6 m run (w/Bobbi) + strength class
Loc: hood, Temp: 42°/42°, Time: 57:09, Pace: 9:31 avg, Difficulty: easy/medium, Felt: great
Strength: bars, Difficulty: medium (slippery), Felt: immediately sore
Tuesday | January 29, 2013: 8 m run + strengh class
Loc: hood, Temp: 51°/52°, Time: 1:18:35, Pace: 9:49 avg, Difficulty: medium (windy), Felt: thirsty
Strength: bars and dumbbells, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Wednesday | January 30, 2013: rest
Thursday | January 31, 2013: 6 m run
Loc: Millennium Trail & Hood, Temp: 15°/13°, Time: 1:02:02, Pace: 10:20 avg, Difficulty: medium (snow+wind), Felt: great!
Friday | February 1, 2013: 5 m run incl. 4×800
Loc: hood, Temp: 13°/12°, Time: 45:26, Pace: 9:05, Difficulty: medium, Felt: really good
Saturday | February 2, 2013: 4 m run + cycling class
Loc: hood, Temp: 19°/20°, Time: 42:14, Pace: 10:34 avg, Difficulty: easy, Felt: good
Loc: Essential Fitness LLC Multisport Club, Time: 55 mins, Difficulty: medium, Felt: great
Sunday | February 3, 2013: 8 m run + 5 m run (w/Kelly)
Loc: hood, Temp: 13°/15°, Time: 1:25:42, Pace: 10:43 avg, Difficulty: medium, Felt: happy it was Sunday
Loc: Cuba Marsh FP, Temp: 17°/16°, Time: 51:13, Pace: 10:14 avg, Difficulty: medium (snow), Felt: good
Notes:
- I had a long break between my Tuesday 5:00 am run and Thursday 5:00 pm run… that felt weird (but I am sure was good for me)!!!
- I’ve always thought I powered more with my right leg than my left, and I really noticed it during cycling. I better be careful I don’t get super imbalanced!
- I posted this article on my Facebook page, but thought I would share it here too – Running with the 4-8-12 Rule. The premise is, exercise four hours a week to build a baseline of fitness, 8 to get to the middle of your age group, and 12 to take fitness to the highest level possible. This info is John Farah’s philosophy (he’s written a memoir and run a lot of races) and it doesn’t exactly fit in with the HHS’s guidelines of 2.5 hours a week! Ha ha. Anyway, 8 or 12 hours seems like A LOT. What do you think? I sometimes hit in between those two numbers, but I workout because I love it, and am not really focused on … anything. Oops. Okay, that is SOMEWHAT of a lie. My goal 5K is in 3 weeks and I am running a competitive relay in 2 weeks. And my goal half marathon is June 9.
- Since I posted a link to my Facebook page, make sure to follow me there if you want to read even more blabbering and see more pictures! I’ve been trying to post more.
Themocracy
Yay for running! I think that the 4-8-12 rule (which I hadn’t read the article until just now) sounds like it’s on the principle of: you have to work harder (more) to get better in the more competitive sense.
Yeah, get active, then add more in (time + specific training). I seem to hate getting boxed in with a “plan” but I should really try some different stuff. LOL!
What 5k and relay are you doing? I’m hoping to do a 5k, and if it anywhere around Chicago I might go to it. I’ve never heard of the 4-8-12 rule, but it intrigues me!
I can’t answer your question about the 5K. Ha ha ha. Until you tell me how old you are. Because I want to win my age group. LOL!
The relay is in NYC 😉
The 4-8-12 rule is interesting, I’ve never heard of it but I’m planning on reading the article now. I tend to hit between 6-7.5 hours/week of training and sometimes with work and other stuff even that seems like a lot! I can’t imagine doing 12 hours a week unless I was training for an Iron Man or some really long distance event.
Also, when I woke up this morning and was deciding whether to run outside or go to the gym, I thought of how you were running outside and it totally got my butt out the door to run outside. Thanks for the motivation :).
I thought it seemed like 12 was more in the Iron Man range too!
Aww! That is awesome! I am happy you got to run outside! Thanks for thinking of me 🙂
Wow, you run like, every day!
I did read that article you posted. I thought it was interesting, but I also thought that 12 hours a week is crazy for a “normal” person! I can see where it would be true, I mean for the most part, if you train longer (wisely) you will get stronger. But dang, 12 hours? I’ll just leave that for the pros!!! I’ll have to add mine up for the week and see where I fall!
It made me curious to add mine up too. I am very lucky now that I work from home sometimes and have a husband who is understanding of my need to workout a lot… but what if I had kids? Or had to travel every day?! Crazy!!!
LOL! I took Wednesday off 😉 I usually only run 5x a week but I had to sneak in a Saturday run in the snow 🙂
Awesome job with your mileage! I agree that 12 hours is a LOT, but I guess if you have the time and want to do that, go for it. I was running about 10 hours a week when I was in the thick of my marathon training and I was getting a little burnt out.
Yeah, I wonder if that person talks about burnout in their book!
That’s an interesting rule but I would think it would be true! I used to skate about 18-20 hours per week growing up and that was what it took to be competitive. I think that’s why these days I’m all about doing just enough to stay in shape. 🙂
You got your burn out in at a very early age 😉
That article is interesting! To be honest, I’ve never measured working out in time – just the number of days or miles. 12 sounds really intense, and even 8 sounds like more than I could, or want to, take on in a given week. However, since becoming vegan, I have noticed that I have had waaay more energy, which is weird because my caffeine intake has totally decreased. Maybe it’s a sign that I could possibly bump up my time to 8 hours/week. 12 still sounds scary though. 🙂
I have only been reading your blog for a short while so I don’t know your history – when did you become vegan (I knew you were, just wondering how long :)). That is great you have so much more energy!
Hahaha, love all the “selfie” photos this week!
And you’ll be in one next week! Time for a repeat of epic jumping photo?! LOL.
I normally work out around 4-5 hours per week, I could not imagine doubling it! Oh well, I’m not trying to win any races. Winning my age group in small races is always nice, so I’ll stick with that 🙂
I’ve never heard of the 4-8-12 concept but it sounds interesting. 12 hours sounds like a LOT unless you’re training for a marathon or whatnot. I don’t think I have quite the time or motivation to work out that much otherwise, sadly. Maybe someday!