Tuesday, July 01, 2008

Racing Sensations and Stomach Problems

June 23 - June 29 (2008)

Monday, 6/23

am: Run - 1:19
pm: Run - 36:00
Felt average. Nothing to report.

Tuesday, 6/24
am: Run - 12x400 w/ 100m recovery (avg 74.9)
pm: Run - 27:30

75.1 (143), 76.0 (156), 75.2 (161), 76.2 (161)

75.7 (164), 76.0 (164), 75.0 (165), 76.5 (165)

75.1 (167), 74.8 (167), 74.4 (168), 69.1 (169)

I went with the workout in the morning for a couple different reasons. First, it made more sense to do the hard workout prior to spending the day cleaning, lifting and what-not. Second, the temps are always a little better in the a.m. And finally, I figured I might be a little more conservative with pace since I don't usually feel as "springy" in the morning. The workout went about how I expected it to. The pace felt good, not strained. I recovered during between intervals. It was slower than I usually start out with this workout (avg 72-74 typically), but I'm obviously not sharp right now (nor should I be) and this was an a.m. workout when I usually do it in the p.m.

Wednesday, 6/25
am: Run - 2:10:45 (HR Avg 137)
Trying to work the back-to-back days this time around. I really didn't feel too bad today, which is good because the volumed of hard work yesterday was low. I did make the mistake of not bringing a water bottle along, so I suffered a bit the last couple miles. Closed out the run with some 6:00 miles which felt absolutely relaxed from a turnover standpoint. Progress.

Thursday, 6/26

am: Run - 62:08
pm: Run - 34:24
Took it easy today. Nothing much else to say about that. Back to work (actual job) today. Thus ends my tenure as a mover, for now. Good riddance.

Friday, 6/27
am: Run - 61:01
Another easy day. Since we'll be in Eau Claire tomorrow to return Dad's truck I am replacing my scheduled MP workout today with the RCU Charity Classic 10k tomorrow. Time to find out where I'm at. Day 1 of stomach problems. Constant cramping and sharp pains.

Saturday, 6/28

am: Run - RCU Charity Classic 10k (33:26)
Mile 1 - 5:08
Mile 2 - 5:14 (HR Avg for 1&2 172bpm)
Mile 3 - 5:22.1 (172)
Mile 4 - 5:26.2 (170)
Mile 5 - 5:26.2 (170)
Mile 6 - 5:26.6 (171)

Felt good warming up. Not necessarily fast, but no soreness anywhere and my legs had a bit of that springy feeling that is nice to have prior to a race. I didn't know who would show up as far as competition. This race can be won in anywhere from 31:00 to 35:00 depending on the year. Goals for the race where to not go over the edge and hopefully run close t0 33:00. Off the starting line a young buck in a UW Oshkosh jersey shot out along with Rich Maleniak, a former UWEC runner. Vaguely recalling some results from earlier in the year, I guessed Rich was in pretty good shape and would be out front. I tucked in with those two and pulled through the first mile in 5:08. I was surprised to find that pace didn't feel all that bad. Of course mile 1 ends right at the base of the Carson Park hill. I chased Rich up and then watched his heels kick away from me over the top. See you at the finish (31:45). I worked on recovering to an acceptable comfort level over mile #2 and came through the first 5k loop hoping I could avoid letting the pace lag to much on the out and back second 5k. I could hold the pace I was running pretty well, but an attempt to surge was met with heaving breathing and rigging arms. I thought I could make a good run at 33:00 once I hit the turnaround, but it was not to be. I am not able to tap those other gears yet. In a few weeks I hope that will be a different story, but for now I'll have to be content with where I'm at.

Day 2 of stomach problems. Curiously absent during the warm-up and race, but excruciating the rest of the day. In short, and I apologize for the details, I can't go #2. I don't know if that is related to the stomach problems, but the only relief I seem to find is if I lie down on my side. If anyone has any experience with this sort of issue please pass along your wisdom.

Sunday, 6/29
am: Run - 3:23:58, 10XLake Calhoun Loop ~50k (HR Avg 142)
How frustrating. I woke up with two distinct sensations: agonizing pain in my stomach and absolute loosey-goosey, lets-get-out-the-door-and-hammer in my legs. Long-long run on the schedule today and it took me over an hour to decide if starting the run was the right decision. Since I planned on loops at Lake Calhoun again I figured it would be easy enough to pull the plug if things went south during the run.

I started out feeling pretty average. The first couple laps as I warmed up I had those divergent feelings again. My legs felt better and better. My stomach felt worse and worse. Coming through 25k (5 laps) I was suffering, but I decided to give it one more lap. I figured 30k would be 2:00 and I could live with that.

I couldn't tell you when it happened, but sometime during laps 6 or 7 all symptoms disappeared and I ran on feeling great and churning out 6:30-6:40 pace with ease. (note: the pain came back with a vengeance post run and is still bothering me, but maybe getting better. Can't tell yet.)

With the pain gone I focused on running sensible 100k pace for the rest of the run. My plan as I laid out my schedule was to have two long-long runs where I ran the same pace as I would for the first 50k of a 100k race. Nothing faster than 6:40/mile (just under 7 hr 100k pace). Today that fell apart a little bit, but I did manage to keep it somewhat in check and when I did an assessment at the end of the run I think I could have done 1.5-2 more laps at that pace and effort. My goal is to get to 80k with something approaching that pace/feeling. I've got some work to do.

Total miles for the week:
116

4 comments:

Gregg said...

So... have you taken a "dump" yet or not? That's an issue you might not want to let go much longer.
G

Patrick said...

Big Bird, this here is Rubber Duck. The package has been delivered. Repeat: the package has been delivered. 10-4 over.

I am a runner. "We are what we repeatedly do" said...

Wow, you've been running again post surgery only a few months and in a one week span you run 12x 400m, a 10k (= to my PR), and a solid 50k (a bit faster thatn what I ran to place 5th at a USATF national championship) amazing Dude. Keep it up. Not good enough to get you in on the "makes the field more competitive" clause for the Oly trials 10k race, but close!

Patrick said...

Thanks Greg. Good luck at Hardrock.