This is the last week of my strength meso cycle in my training plan. This part of my plan did not go exactly as I had hoped or originally planned. I did not have time in the morning to complete my runs and kettlebell strength workouts, so the kettlebells got dropped from the plan. I did pick up a couple of kettlebell swings on my runner’s strength days when I had the extra time though.
Even without the extra strength workout I’m feeling strong as I finish the last hard week of my 18 week plan. I’m looking forward to next week when I can taper back my mileage and start resting up for race day. However, I’ve still got one more week of hard work and it includes 800 meter interval repeats.
Day 99
Normally, I would have started my week with my hardest workout. However, it’s going to rain a lot tomorrow, so I switched my 8 mile conversational pace run with my interval run that was scheduled for today.
I ran at 6 A.M. and watched the sunrise as I ran a longer route through the neighborhood. I had really great energy this morning and the run felt easy and comfortable. I took a Huma gel around mile 4 because I’m still continuing to prep my gut and body for gels at certain intervals. My shoe today was the ASICS Novablast 2 with Superfeet Pink insoles. I find these shoes to be so comfortable for easy paced long runs.
I finished the audiobook, “Never Finished” pretty quickly into my run, so I switched over and started listening to a podcast for the remainder of my run. I haven’t decided what my next audiobook will be.
Post run I drank a Skratch Vegan Recovery drink and then had breakfast.
Day 100
It’s days like this that make me so grateful for my treadmill. It was pouring as I ran my workout on the treadmill this morning. As planned, I ran my 800 meter intervals; 5 intervals at long interval pace and 5 at conversational pace with 400 meters of walking or jogging in between. When the workout is done, my 5 miles of “work” develops into 9 miles of total running time with the warm up, cool down and recovery between intervals.
I wore my Saucony Endorphin Speed 2 treadmill shoes (I only wear them on the treadmill) with my Currex insoles (Blue for high arches). I hit all of my time and distance goals this time, plus it actually felt easier than the last time I ran this workout. As much as I still hate 800 meter intervals, I’m so happy to see that the work is paying off in my fitness gains.
Although I probably could have used a Skratch recovery drink after this workout, I just went straight for breakfast after my run. I’m so happy that this was my last interval workout for this training cycle!
Workouts
Day 99
- 8 miles at conversational pace
Day 100
- 10x’s 800m alternating easy and hard efforts (9 miles total)