Weekly Training Wrap - 7/9 - 7/15

I had a tremendous week, making the best back-to-back weeks I have ever done. Things feel solid and strong, but I am getting bored with training. Other than some altitude acclimation and course scouting/prep work, I don't really think there is much more I can do. Fortunately, next week is really my last hard week of "training". The following week (7/23) is still not technically taper, but I will be doing most of my running up in Leadville on a "guy's weekend", so it should be much less of a mental grind.

In addition to being bored with the training, I am reaching the inevitible phase where I am questioning everything -- is my strategy OK?, have I trained hard enough?, did I set proper goals?, how much information (and when) should I share with my crew and pacers?, etc.. All of it is totally normal and may even be viewed as a positive sign that I am ready. The truth is that I really can't train harder. What I have done is already asking a lot of my family. And, people that train less hard than I did do well in these things all the time. My race is more likely to be determined by my race day strategy and nutrition than training. In the words of Forrest Gump, "that's all I have to say about that".

I tried a couple of new things this week. First, I went out on a night run with some friends that are pacing me. The thought was to simulate the darkness and late night start. All in all, it was a really fun run. But it left us all a little exhausted and hot (it won't be that in Leadville after dark!). The second thing I did differently was to experiment with a run/walk pattern that I found reviewing Coach Weber's website. Lately, I have been starting out slow (9:30 ish pace) and then walk, resulting in training runs that are well over 10 min miles. His training had me run at a good aeorbic clip (the target was a 75% Max HR, which he estimates to be about 8:30 pace for a 3:15 marathoner). Instead of pace, I targeted the 75% max HR (145) for 10 mins. Then I would walk for 3 mins. And it was an aggressive walk, around a 14 min mile. The net result was a long run that was in the low 9 min pace with a relatively low HR (140). I found it a really successful strategy and very easy to keep mentally in the moment instead of thinking about clicking off miles.

This week I also summited my second 14er (Grays Peak). I went with my family and the pace was really slow. Nonetheless, it felt somewhat hard to me. Then I read that Anton can run Grays and Torreys starting from more than a mile before the trailhead round trip in 1:58. Humbling. I really need to head up there when I am a bit fresh (not 6 hours after a 20 miler!) and try to set a benchmark time for myself to the summit Grays and back to the trailhead. I wonder if I could do it in 2.25 hours?

Every day is one step closer to my goal....33 days to LT100

Day	Miles	Notes
Monday	Rest	Light x-training
Tuesday	12	MLR Pace
Wednesday	6	Recovery Pace
Thursday	10	Most Efficient Pace Miles
Friday	20	Night Run - Easy Aerobic Pace
Saturday	8	Grays Peak
Sunday	23	Most Efficient Pace Miles
Total	80	About 8800 vertical feet