Training 3/16-3/22

Good quality running this week for sure.  I got on the track again and it felt good.  I've been working out at the American University Track, which might just be my new favorite track.  My mileage has been a tad less the last few weeks(in the 90s), but one of the things I've worked well on is adapting to higher volume.  So far for the year 2015, the first 3 months I have averaged over 102 miles/week.  So taking it down a notch has felt good, but I was by no means fresh for the Van Metre 5 Miler race on Saturday.

Monday: 4.5 miles + 1600m of 50s @ AU Track; 50m sprint, 50m float, 50m sprint, 50m float etc

Tuesday: AM: 1200m(3:41), 1600m(4:51), 2000m(6:05) w/ 1 lap jog rec @ AU Track, 9.5 miles

PM: 3 miles easy

Wednesday: AM: 10.5 miles

PM: 5.5 miles

Thursday: 8 miles with 3 mile "moderate" tempo in 16:00 @ AU Track

PM: 5 miles

Friday: AM: 4.5 miles

PM: 3.5 miles w/ 4 x 200m strides

Saturday: AM: VAN METRE 5 MILER-This race was unbelievably the most twists and turns I have ever had to deal with.  To my own error, I didn't study the course well.  From the gun I put myself into 1st place, and for most of the race I was asking race officials which direction to turn next.  It was frustrating there wasn't a lead vehicle.  I was also unsure which tangents to run.  There were a few hills, which naturally I felt strong on from all the hill workouts I've done over the winter.  I could feel Greenlaw and Klim not far behind me, and was able to see where they were at each turn.  I eventually gained ground on them, and ran alone the entire race.  The effort felt like a hard tempo, I threw some surges in at the end to finish in 25:27, which seemed a bit slow, but my coach told me to not expect much from this.  However, many have told me that this course is always a tad long for some reason.  Who knows.  The important thing I cared about was that I got the effort in, and the win was nice, as this was my debut in the Saucony singlet.   

PM: 5 miles

Sunday:  20 Miles: I started out moderately on the towpath, coming through the first 10 miles in (67:00) minutes, but I was building my pace and ran quite quickly the 2nd 10 miles(58:00), finishing the total 20 miles in 2:05. The last 5 miles of the run I was running 5:40 pace and I saw Klim at Riley's Lock.  I thought I saw Greenlaw too but he wasn't there according to Jake's blog here: http://jakeklim.blogspot.com/.  I was amazed at how effortless this run felt, even after running the race yesterday.  Once I got back to the lock, as if 20 wasn't enough I decided to tag on a grueling 200m steep uphill run up the road that goes towards River Road.  I grinded up the hill, legs aching, and at the next plateau turned around, and finally said "ok, that's enough."  I jogged back down the hill, longing for food and a nap.  90 Miles for the week.

I think I am super fit but it won't really show in racing until the time is right, which hopefully, I'll be able to give something special at Cherry Blossom in 3 weeks.  My coach and I plan to taper down fully for that race, so I should be fresh and ready to go.  I also KNOW the course all too well now.  I have run this race every year since 2010.  I think sub 50:00 is possible this time around, we'll just have to wait and see.  My all time best for the distance is from last year in 50:57, so bettering that performance itself is a tall task.  This is the Trial of Miles, the Miles of Trials.  Your toughest competitor is yourself.

-Sloane