Week 7; Got Recovery?

Landed in Chicago last Friday during a snowstorm.  I hadn't seen snow since 2007.

Sunday:  Icebreaker Indoor Marathon; 26.2 miles @ 9:38 pace

Monday:  Bikram Yoga

Tuesday:  4 miles @ 9:26 pace; Easy, systems-check run.  Was still a little sore from the marathon but legs felt pretty good during the run and my pace was fairly quick for a short recovery effort.

Wednesday:  10 miles @ 8:58 pace, including 3x 10 min @ 8:10, 7:58, 7:45 pace with 3:00 recovery; My legs felt surprisingly good.  I was sure there would be some deep-seated tiredness from the race but I hit all the pick-ups with more flare than expected.  This is definitely the shortest time frame after a marathon that I've asked my body to do speed work and it was in the middle of a double-digit run as well.

Thursday:  Bikram Yoga

Friday:  14 miles @ 9:30 pace; Legs were dragging a bit at the end but my pace didn't suffer for it.  I received some Sports Beans at a runner holiday party and tried them out for the first time today.  My stomach is pretty iron-clad when it comes to runner fuel and I can go a fair distance on nothing but water.  So I can't speak to the fueling abilities of the beans, but I will say they are a ton of fun to eat.  They have the same texture as regular jelly beans and I felt like a kid waiting for the time to eat them.  I may throw them into my fuel rotation.


All in all a very successful training week.  Body, I love you for being a great sport this week and bouncing back so quickly.  In just a few days I'll be able to say that my goal race is *gulp* next month already!  Wow.

I've been doing some ruminating on Icebreaker.  I was a little sad I didn't try to race it what with all the babying the aid station gives you.  I am not entirely sure I could pace myself well on that set-up with only quarter mile feedback.  I'm used to staring at my Garmin's lap pace when I'm racing.  Interestingly, the race director once said that the totally flat course generally yields slower race times for people since you're using the same muscles. I'm not sure if that is a reflection of the way people approach a race like this (as a fun event or in conjunction with the half the day before).  But eyes on the prize in Modesto so I won't think too hard on this.

As an aside, I had originally planned on running the half marathon on Saturday and the full on Sunday (just like the Goofy Challenge).  I wrote to Shirley to ask if she would recommend this, and she felt that a lot of the novelty would wear off doing it two days in a row.  In hindsight I think I agree with that assessment.  I won't say I wouldn't try to do that challenge, but I think the set-up of Goofy at Disney is definitely more appealing.  Icebreaker used to be a Boston qualifier but they reniged that designation this year.  A part of me wants to go back and race the event but I'm sort of hoping the next time that happens I'll be in BQ territory which would make the whole thing a moot point.  So we'll have to see when/how I participate down the road.