Monday, November 25, 2013

New High

The past week saw me completely ignore my own advice and (fingers crossed) come out the other side without injury. I managed more mileage in the seven days that ended yesterday than I've ever run before! It amounted to what some would find pretty pathetic, but for me it's a real achievement. 86.7km, or almost 54 miles, is a lot for me.

It was only possible because I did not take any days off and had only one run under 10km, with my longest at 20km. In fact, the only day in November when I did not run was the first, so I've been able to manage some pretty good consistency. I'm not exactly sure how this week will go, but I'm feeling good if a bit tired, and as long as that's the case I hope to keep this up for a while (perhaps with the odd week of less mileage for recovery) and get up to, and over, 100km per week for a bit. If only the day lasted longer than 24 hours, and the week more than 7 days...

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Monday, November 18, 2013

Can't Blog. Running...

Well, it's come to this. Like so many blogs that I've perused over the past 5+ years mine has "evolved", and by that I of course mean that my posts can only be decribed as "sporadic" at best, and "non existent" at worst. And that's being kind.

Typically, my blog absence would indicate that an injury has me sidetracked and, not being able to run, I have nothing to say on a blog that is largely supposed to be about running, or whatever it is that yours truly is doing while the neighbours politely wave, then snicker. Anyway, I am happy to report that my absence is NOT because I haven't been able to run, but rather BECAUSE I have been running. Add in the typical time pressures of a family with two very active children and the volunteering that inevitably the parents end up doing and 24 hours just doesn't cut it.

In short, I have come to the end of my self-imposed 4 week recovery period post-marathon and am about to embark on an ambitious plan to run more than I have ever run before. It's not that impressive compared to many talented and dedicated runners, but for the oft-injured and wonky among us it is a big goal. I am trying to get to a point where I am running triple digits in mileage (metric mileage that is, I'm not THAT ambitious) per week for an extended period as I prepare for a Spring marathon. For those not inclined to do the math I'm looking to run 100km (or 62 miles) per week. I won't get there right away, but I've counted off 16 weeks to first reach and then maintain my goal before other phases of training (strength, speed, taper) come into play.

Last week I ran 79.2km (49.2 miles) and felt great, helped in a big way by the fact that I was off work for two of the five working days which allowed for two mid-week 10 milers during daylight hours. I have been running every day and feel great. I am still seeing a massage therapist to keep that pesky Achilles on the path to recovery, but it's feeling better and better so I am confident that eventually it will be 100% healthy. The only things that may impair my goal are a) injury (shudder!), b) lack of time (stupid 24 hour day and 5 day work week), and c) Winter weather (stupid ice and snow, dark and cold, etc...). Many have overcome these obstacles to run more than I am hoping to run, so really I have no excuse.

For now...

That BQ isn't going to qualify itself and I've come to understand that higher mileage is a must if one is to ever have a shot at this most lofty of goals. Especially when the "one" is me, and the "me" is slow.

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