Training Week 2/14 - 2/20

No rant this week. I would complain about the Olympic coverage, but it's the same thing everyone except Dick Ebersol is saying. That being said, it's a simple solution: show the events live as they're happening on one of the many stations, and use the prime time coverage to show recaps, puff pieces, ice dancing and more puff pieces. On PTI today, Wilbon called NBC the "Lifetime Network." Classic.

So, it was definitely food poisoning. It wasn't pretty, but I bounced back nicely this week.

Onto the numbers:

2/14, Sunday: 3 - 24:12, Suck Loop. Still some lingering stomach nastiness, but the run felt good.

2/15, Monday: 5 - 41:41, Highland Green Loop. Yup.

2/16, Tuesday: 3 - 25:39, Suck Loop. It was snowing heavily. It snowed heavily for 25 minutes and 39 seconds, and we got nothing out of it. *grumble*

2/17, Wednesday: Off

2/18, Thursday: 7 - 51:53, Bike Path. Marathon Pace Run: 7:21/7:25/7:20/7:29/7:26/7:26/7:23. Very encouraging workout. I felt pretty comfortable the whole way despite running a number of those miles directly into a pretty stiff wind.

2/19, Friday: 3 - 26:02, Suck Loop. The trail sections of the loop were pretty sketchy. Either slick ice or soft snow, and I was worried about breaking through a number of ice bridges. Felt good, but a bit tight.

2/20, Saturday: 15.5 - 2:24:51, Val's Fat Ass. A terrific day with the Trail Monsters, and, most importantly, happy 50th birthday, Val!

Totals:
Miles: 36.5
Trail: 15.5
Road: 21

A very strong week for me, especially the last three days. I knew that would be a tough stretch, but it went pretty well. The conditions of the loop at the Fat Ass were tricky: a mix of ice, snow, mashed potatoes, grass, frozen grass, mud, frozen mud, lumps of frozen grass and mud, wet mud—everything you'd expect running through fields in April. It was April warm, too. That being said, it was a great day on the trails. (I just wish I had had more time to hang out and run with everyone there. And, take a helicopter ride!) From a training standpoint, that run was a big jump and a big confidence boost. It was my longest run in both time and distance since the September fiasco. The time on my feet was the biggest leap, and that was the hardest part. I was dragging in the middle of my third loop, but managed to rally to feel pretty good by the end. A good sign both mentally and physically.

So, I think there's hope for me yet...



Fingers crossed that I get to snowshoe race this weekend.

Oh, and here's the best picture ever: