Specificity

I think specificity has to be one of the coolest words and that is what this week as about... being specific in terms of running.

The four weeks previous were admittedly a very aggressive base building phase where my weekly mileages really jumped. This was me just throwing numbers (miles) at the problem (my fitness or lack of.)

The week of January 12 - 35 Miles
The week of January 19 - 58 Miles
The week of January 26 - 42 Miles (Because I dropped that Sunday run after driving home.)
The week of February 2 - 72 Miles
The week of February 9 - 73.5

Each week had two days off in them except for the January 26 week which had three. All of those runs were done with a very strict MAF focus.

This week I switched the focus some to include speed work which I could tell I was needing. So the plan for this week became very regimented and very specific in regards to workouts and my desired outcome.

Monday - Mandatory rest day.

Tuesday - 9 Miles with hill repeats - 1:22 - I did about a two mile warmup and then ten, one minute - hard uphill efforts then jogged back to the bottom. After the first one I was I questioning if I could hang on for all ten which is pretty normal for me to do.  The 8th one was my strongest. Overall the workout went well and I was happy to have it done. Did about a three mile cool down after the repeats. http://tpks.ws/u40t

Wednesday - 12 Miles - 1:53:11 - Ran this one at MAF and just cruised. Things definitely felt tight and my stride took a while to stretch out but after warming up everything was fine. I could feel the work from the previous day but it was not a show stopper. http://tpks.ws/MwmB

Thursday - 9 Miles - 1:15:44 - Progression run broken into two mile segments. 9 Mile Progression run in 2 mile increments. #1- HR 135-145. #2- HR 145-155. #3- HR 155-165. #4- HR 165+. #5- 1 mile MAF/cool down. I found myself procrastinating as it got closer to lunchtime and time to run as I guess I was fearing what was in store for me. The workout went really well and I was able to maintain an avg HR of 175 for that last 2 mile stretch. http://tpks.ws/U2NN

Splits for the Thursday progression run.

Friday - Mandatory rest day and I definitely needed it! My legs took a thrashing on Thursday and all day they felt shredded.

Saturday - 20 Miles - 3:37 - Saturday was just one of those long runs that you have to do in less than desirable conditions that you know you can run faster but the elements dictate otherwise. I ran up Maroon Creek Road past the T Lazy 7 Ranch but once past the gate the snow was not runnable like it had been in the past few weeks. Turned around after two miles of step, sink, slip... step, sink, slip running. When I finished it was not so much that I felt like the run put me in the tank physically as much as I was just done with running in the crappy weather. - The week must have been taking a toll because when I went to bed Saturday night I started reading and maybe, maybe read three pages before my eyes were closed and turning the light off. I rarely go to sleep that easily. http://tpks.ws/H1dv

At the end of 20 miles on Saturday.

Sunday - 10 Miles - Treadmill - As a general rule I loathe treadmill and will do anything I have to do in order to not have to run on one but today was an exception. 1. After being in the elements yesterday, I looked forward to being inside, warm, and dry. 2. Given the deteriorating road and path conditions with all of the new snow, a treadmill is just safer today. But I believe there are truly benefits to running on one. I don't suggest running on one all of the time but I think it has its own ways of making a runner stronger if used on occasion. http://tpks.ws/8pLR

So the week ends up looking like 60 Miles for the week. 9:39:22 for time. And 4621 feet in gain.

If I had to generalize how I am feeling today after this training week I would definitely say that I am tired. Tomorrow, Monday, is a rest day and my goal for this coming week is to identically duplicate this past week.  The weather might have other ideas though.

I am over the weather by now. Yesterday when I was running I was thinking to myself that there is just a time when winter needs to be done. For me that is now. I knew that I was setting myself up for disappointment these past three weeks with all of the warm weather we have been having. My fantasy of an early spring has now become the reality of yet another return of winter.

There are no other options for me now than to push through it the best I can. I have way too much momentum built up now to allow the weather to really derail me. It is just part of the price I have to pay to live where I do. In another few months there isn't a more idyllic place to train and run in my opinion. You have the altitude, the terrain, and very comfortable temperatures, even on the hottest of days. I'll stop bitching now.

I wore the Hoka Mafate Speed's for the first time yesterday. After wearing the Stinsons exclusively for the past three years the new Mafates definitely felt different. So far I love them though. Great fit, awesome traction which I damned well needed yesterday, and they are comfortable. I have to give props to any shoe that you can take straight out of the box and then go do a 20 miler in without any break in period. The downside to them is they have a much stiffer sole than the Stinsons and harder surfaces are little too hard but I think they would kill it on any dirt or trail surfaces. At any rate, I am committed to them for the next two - three months of running to give them a fair shake out.

Three weeks and six days to Mexico... :) I have already booked two days of spearfishing for myself when I am down there. Can not wait to be eating some fresh trigger fish!