Weekly Summary – 78 miles in 11 runs (+ 6.5 hours cross training). A big step up from last week both in terms of overall running volume, intensity, and frequency. Did a bunch more running outside, a bit of quicker running, and still kept the overall volume high (including cross training). Less than 3 weeks until CIM!

One more thing – for all my local Greater-Boston readers – if you’re an athlete looking for an exceptional sports-massage therapist who specializes in runners and injury prevention and recovery, go visit Sam Peck at SoarBody Theraputics in Davis Square (Somerville). He’s been crucial to helping me recover from my injury and I wouldn’t have been on the start line this week without him!

Don’t forget, you can follow me day to day on Instagram and Twitter (@TylerCAndrews) and my daily training log on Strava. Oh and hey if you’re reading this and don’t know about STRIVE, you should probably check ’em out. I lead groups through the mountains of Peru on a  journey of running, service learning, and adventure. If you’re interested, join us next year for the summer of 2019, when we’ll once again have programs for High School and College students, and even 10-day trips for adults and families.

Lunes, 5 de Noviembre, 2018 – 08:30: Woke up early thanks to the time change – I’ll try to stick on this. Did 20’ on elliptical and then ran OUTSIDE. First time running outside since Baystate 2 weeks ago. Ran 2km out/back on the river and then to the track and one lap quick to finish off (75.9) continunous before stopping for drills. Did light drills and 4x strides. Achilles felt good but a little more aggravated on the drills/strides. Ran back to the gym after and did another 40’ on elliptical w/ 7’ surge to finish. Total run 5.1km in 20’, total work 80’.

XT: Heel drops (3×10), glutes (10x reps, 9x weights), beach ball, toes, band work (3×10)

16:15: Easy hour. Did 55 min on elliptical w/ res from 4-7, legs a bit tired. Did 5’ of jogging after! Achilles felt good, but legs were tired and hot. Total 60’ work. Total run 1km+ in 5’00.

XT: Heel drops (3×10), toes

Martes, 6 de Noviembre, 2018 – Sparknotes: Fartlek w/ 4x 1K on/1K off, 2x 500m/500m off (not continuous).

07:45: Kind of a stupid workout this morning. Wanted to do a fartlek workout but really screwed up.

Started out on elliptical 15’ and then jogged 15’ on treadmill to warm up. Stopped and did drills and a couple light “strides” on treadmill to get some quicker running before hopping right into it. Felt really fast even running at 3’00-06/km.

Basically the issue is that I don’t know how fast these machines are actually going. I’ve done workouts on treadmills before when I lived in DC but I had very clear idea of what the paces actually meant relative to running outside. I’ve never encountered a situation where the treadmill felt harder than running that pace outside, so I always assume it’s at least a bit easier, but these ones may be programmed too fast. I started at 2% and 3’10/M (which I definitely ran some 3’10s and faster in Baystate HM a few weeks ago so should be too hard) but that was like sprinting. Maybe I’m just really out of shape or at least not mechanically used to running fast, but it’s not like I’d done much more before Baystate.

Anyway, I ran 4 fast km with 1 slower km between, but there were some stopping in there as I was finishing the 1Ks super gassed. I was hoping to do 6x and then 500s at the end, but after 4x I just did the 500s (just under 3’00/km and felt all out) and stopped.

If I’m going to use these for any kind of faster running I need to do some kind of calibration runs.

Cooled down 5km jogging and then another 7’ or so on elliptical to get to 30’. After, jogged over to the T and to SoarBody for massage and back (and stopped to vote).

Good news is that the achilles held up well and this is by far the most running I’ve done in 1 session (though broken up).

XT: Heel drops (3×10), toes

16:30: Being an idiot today and trying to squeeze too much. Did 20’ on elliptical and then jogged over to the track as I wanted to try to get a sense of whether the Treadmills are accurate or not. It was cold and dark and raining and I just ran there and ran right into a 200m in about 40.x that felt pretty hard so then stopped and started again and was planning to run 1km but stopped after 400m in 78 as I was just pretty gassed. Jogged over to 91 syd and hopped on the treadmill but even at 0% inc and like 5’15/M I was almost flying off the back. I think they are too fast! Jogged back here and ran at on the treadmill here at about 5’12/M and 1% and that effort felt very hard but similarly hard to what I’d run outside. Jogged to get to 15’ total of running and then finished on the elliptical. Total 15’ running (4km), 60’ total work.

XT: Heel drops, 3×10, band work (3×10)

Strength:
Pull-ups 10 10 10 10 9 7
Heel drops 3×10
Dead lift 10lb 15lb 20lb
Single leg squat 30lb 40lb 50lb
Pedestal 8’, 9x ankle weights

Miercoles, 7 de Noviembre, 2018 – 09:30: Slept very late after I was pretty rekt last night from the big PM strength circuit and morning workout. Felt a bit tired but beautiful day finally, nice and sunny and not too cold in the 50s. So, ran longer single outside w/ the plan to take the PM off. First time doing what I’d consider a real run outside in a while.

Started out w/ 20’ on elliptical, mostly at res 6.

Ran big charles loop down past Harvard and then back on the BOS side all the way to the sci museum and back. Tacked on around the dirt path an extra 3km or so and then stopped at the track, did light drills and then 4x strides. Definitely still slow on the strides but makes sense as that’s the most running specific/plyometric thing I’m doing. Achilles held up well.

Overall, very good and promising run. Calves felt really sore interestingly for the first few km and then seemed to either get less sore or maybe I just got used to them being sore and stopped noticing. Total run 22km in 1h32. Total work 1h52.

XT: Heel drops (3×10)

PM: Planned off workout (along w/ tomorrow AM) to split up this last big block. Did 90’ of work on the walking desk and then XT.

XT: Heel drops (3×10), glutes (10x, 9x weights), beach ball, band work (3×10)

Jueves, 8 de Noviembre, 2018 – AM: Planned off. Slept really long and well and got a lot of work done. Jogged to the T and then doctor’s appt around noon.

14:00: Ran from Somerville MD appt. Another lovely day w/ clear skies and temps in the 50s. Ran down to fresh pond and back along the river. Legs felt pretty good and was running in the 4’0x range w/o too much effort. Ended up at the track just about 10km in 40’. Stopped and did drills and 4x strides (1’21), much quicker than the other day, and then did 1km on the track in 3’09. Idea was to try to get a better sense of the treadmill speed now that my legs were feeling better. 3’09 felt surprisingly decent and so jogged over to 91 and did 1K there, starting out at 0% inc and then moving to 1% after 600m. Effort felt about right, somewhere in that range. 2% inc is definitely harder than the track. Then jogged back to 100 and did the same thing, but started at 1% and moved to 2% as this machine feels slower and bouncier. Pretty hard to tell from looking just at data of 1km but the cadence and HR line up pretty well b/w track, 91 treadmill at 0% and 100 treadmill at 1%. An extra .5-1% might be the difference b/w running on track vs road. We’ll see when I get some more data this winter…

Anyway, good news is that running 3’09 pace actually felt pretty good on all 3 Ks. Way better than I felt the other day. Achilles is feeling good (though still visibly enlarged) and didn’t give me any trouble. Finished up w/ short cooldown for 16km total in 62’.

XT: Heel drops (3×10), glutes (10x, 9x weight), toes, bandwork (3×10)

Viernes, 9 de Noviembre, 2018 – Sparknotes: 60’ fartlek (18.5km) on treadmill w/ [1’ @ 3’10->2’55, 1’ @ ~3’30] x 25 + 10x (30” @ 2’50-2’40, 30” @ 3’30), last 500m+ continuous fast.

07:30: Very busy day so tried to get an early start w/ the workout. Goal was to do some quicker running. Originally planned to do this on the track as something like 25x400m, but I’m paranoid about running all those turns as I think that’s how my achilles originally flared up, so did this as fartlek on the treadmill, classic Kenyan workout of 1’ on, 1’ off and then 30” on, 30” off at the end.

Warmed up 15’ on elliptical, 15’ jogging (3.5km) and then drills and a couple light strides.

Workout went really well. I wanted to feel comfortable at the beginning so started slow (3’10) and worked down to about 3’00 over the first 5-10 reps and then held it there and then brought the “on” pace down to about 2’55 for the last 5-10 reps as well. Kept that up until 50’ mark and then went to the 30” reps a bit faster, 2’50 to start and then each one a bit quicker. On the penultimate rep, I just held the pace through the recovery so ran 90” at about 2’42/km pace, 500m+.

Overall this was very good. I covered 18.5km in 60’ which is a great place to be (and seems relatively accurate based on what I did yesterday on the track/treadmill). Ran in the carbon rockets which I really like and will hopefully race in.

Cooled down 15’ jog and then another 15’ on elliptical. Total run 26km in 1h33, Total work 2h00.

XT: Heel drops (3×10)

15:00: Very busy day from one thing to the next w/ going into BOS to get my docs for my visa to EC and then back for STRIVE work and call. Did an hour on the walking desk and then hopped on the elliptical, 20’ there and then just got greedy and wanted to do some quicker running on the mill but legs were fried, so did 1km at like 3’10 and then just jogged to 12’ and finished on the elliptical. No need to force things and get greedy. This was is already a huge step up from last. Total run 3km+ in 12’, total work 60’.

XT: Pullups (4×10), bandwork (3×10), heel drops (3×10) – shortened due to PM plans w/ Mariana and her fam.

Sabado, 10 de Noviembre, 2018 – 10:00am: 20’ on elliptical and then ran outside. Pretty raw morning, but good to be outside nonetheless, low 40s and very humid w/ occasional drizzle and very windy. Ran short chuck loop, crossing at JFK bridge. Tacked on a loop around here and stopped and did 4x strides on bike path since the track had a football game going on. Felt pretty sore and tired this AM. Total run 13km+ in 59’, total work 80’.

XT: Heel drops (3×10), toes, beach ball, pedestal (8’, 9x weights)

16:30: Really tired today. Very deep long nap – up late last night seeing Hamilton, totally worth it. Did very easy session w/ 20’ on elliptical, 20’ jogging very easy on TM (only 4’40-5’00/km), and then another 20’ on elliptical. Hopefully legs will feel fresher tomorrow! Total run 4km++ in 20’, total work 60’.

XT: Heel drops (2×10), band work (3×10)

Domingo, 11 de Noviembre, 2018 – Sparknotes: Botched workout – 1x5K @ 16’33, 1k rec @ 3’54, 1k @ 3’22.

08:30a: Planned to do a long MP workout w/ 6x5K, 1K rec. Just got greedy after having a good session earlier in the week. Legs were fried and felt awful yesterday and this AM. 10’ on elliptical, 10’ jog, strides. Did the first rep which felt okay but not very relaxed at 16’33 and then 1K rec at 3’54 and then into the next rep only made it 1K as I felt like I was redlining running 3’20 pace. Disappointing but it would have been pretty miraculous if this had gone well. Cooled down longer on elliiptical (30’). Total run 10km, total work 80’.

XT: Heel drops (1x)

PM: OFF. just rested to try to get the legs feeling better and get my mind in a better place.