This week was full of cross training and very not full of running (I prefer the opposite), due to the pain in my lower left leg and shin. Big time speed bump in my marathon training that had been going really well up to this point. The crazy thing is I have been just as hungry as I am when I’m running 30-40 miles per week. I have also been more tired than I am when I’m running 30-40 miles per week. Go figure. This week did end on a good note, though.
Monday- Rest day. Iced shin and stretched after Sunday’s long bike ride.
Tuesday- Cross training: approximately 8 mile bike ride with Barry. Made a few observations.
Wednesday- Cross training: core work.
Thursday- Cross training: Swam 2,000 yards at the local YMCA. This was the first time I’ve swam (aside from the ocean and playing around in the pool) in roughly 3.5 years. It felt pretty good. I was happy to find I’m still able to do all four strokes, including butterfly. I was also happy to find I look just as goofy in a swim cap as I always have. But then again, who doesn’t?
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| Took the requisite “I went for a swim” selfie. |
One strange thing that happened, that’s never happened to me before, is that my feet kept cramping while I was swimming freestyle. Apparently my feet forgot how to be pointed while kicking. I kept having to dorsiflex my feet which probably looked funny if anyone was watching (anyone being the lifeguard and the five women doing a water aerobics class on the right side of the pool). It didn’t happen when I swam breaststroke, backstroke, or butterfly. It wasn’t painful or anything, though… just annoying.
Friday- Rest day. Wanted to give my leg a complete rest day prior to attempting a long run. Plus my arms didn’t work anymore after Thursday’s swimming.
Saturday- 10 mile long run on the Dora Trail. I met up with Kim and we ran the first 5 miles together in the cold weather (25 degrees!). Then I headed back out on my own for another 5 miles. My leg felt alright. I had some dull pain on and off but nothing that screamed “stop!” I mixed in some walk breaks as well to ease my legs back into the stress of running. The good news? Running 10 miles wasn’t all that taxing on the rest of my body. I felt fatigued during the last 2 miles or so. But other than that I felt like my endurance is still pretty good.
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| Mile 8 ‘selfie’ |
Sunday- 10 mile long run with Sven (the treadmill). I chose to run on the treadmill knowing it would give me more cushion than the pavement does. I also to run with Sven so that I could stop immediately if my shin did start to hurt (no walk back to the car, etc.). The good news is my leg felt fine! The only time it hurt was when I started back running after taking a bathroom break about halfway through my run. But that went away after about a minute. It’s weird how my shin feels okay as long as I’m running but hurts when I have to take a break. I am happy to report I never got bored the entire 10 miles. I watched Twilight, which kept me entertained the entire time.
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| The distance display says 10.00, not 1.000 🙂 |
If you remember, our woodstove is in the basement which is also where Sven lives. We fired up our woodstove earlier this week because of the cold temperatures we were having. If it’s 100 degrees in Charlotte, I’ll be ready for it after this run.
This was my first time ever doing back to back long runs on a weekend. It worked out pretty well and I’m glad I was still able to get some miles in. The good news is I still feel like my endurance is in a good place. Both of this weekend’s long runs felt very “doable.” I got fatigued, of course, towards the end of both runs. But overall I finished feeling like I definitely had a lot more in the tank.
Total Miles: 20 (2 days of running)
This week’s schedule*:
Monday: 7 miles
Tuesday: rest
Wednesday: 7 miles w/ 5 @ MP
Thursday: rest
Friday: 7 miles
Saturday: 14 miles
Sunday: rest
*This is what my training plan calls for this week. With the onset of this shin pain, everything has kind of been up in the air. I am taking it one day at a time and making a call on what I’ll do each day based on how my leg feels.
Turkey Runner 
So glad your shin is feeling better!! Also, 2000yds after not swimming for 3.5 years? Ugh..I get super pumped if I can swim like 1000 when I go, ha. I can’t imagine how sore my arms would be. I also can’t imagine running next to a wood burning stove…you should get one of those GIANT fans and just point it right at you (or have two and point them from each side of the treadmill) while you run.
I was so sore on Friday! But I’m actually ready to do it again now, haha! I think I may have awoke the swim monster in me. Eek.
Looks like it turned out to be a pretty good week. Maybe not what your training plan called for but good none the less.Keep hitting it but listen to your body and don’t over do it.Good selfie in the locker room. If you need any more goofy pics of yourself in competitive swim gear, I have 14+ years of it.LUD.
It was a pretty decent week. Thank you for pointing that out. Sometimes I get tunnel vision and lately my tunnel vision is only focused on running.Feel free to save those 14+ years of goofy pic’s for the next time you need to blackmail me 🙂
So glad you were able to split up your long run and get the miles in over two days. And you look lovely in your swim cap. That’s a good selfie! Sometimes my toes cramp up when I swim. It’s amazing how a little toe cramp can stop you in your tracks. Or in the water!
Haha, why thank you 🙂 Last Thursday was the first time I’ve EVER had any kind of leg/foot cramps while swimming. Crazy.
I’m so sorry to hear that you’ve had shin problems. This is my first time back reading my friends’ blogs in over two weeks, so I’ve missed out a lot on what’s going on with you guys. I hope your shin holds up and you’re over the pain and on your way to recovery!
Thanks, Deb! I hope my leg holds up, too. I am having to adjust my training (I basically threw my training plan out the window). But I am focused on getting to the start line healthy.
Love the swim pic! Bummer about your shins. 😦 I hope the cross training helps!
Thanks! I was happy with how it turned out. I did it all super fast and then stashed my phone before anyone came in and caught me taking a picture of myself! 10 months of blogging is still not enough to get over my embarrassment of taking pictures.
I wish I could swim like that 🙂 It’s a great option when you’re not feeling 100%.I saw that you told Jan you hate taking pics… I HATE getting caught taking selfies or taking them in front of people. Yikes!When I first started running (couch to 5K) I used the Twilight films to get me through my runs on the treadmill. ❤ those movies and the books. The critics are jealous (of what, I don’t know, but it sounds good!) 🙂
I’ve only been swimming twice now (once last week and once this week) but I’m enjoying it 🙂 It just takes some extra effort to pack up my swimming stuff and actually drive to the pool.I probably wouldn’t love the Twilight movie as much if I didn’t already love the books.
Glad it ended up being a good week after all (and also glad that Steph is just about as behind as I am on blog reading/commenting!) – and that the 10/10 back-to-back worked well for you!Fingers are crossed that things continue to progress smoothly for the next week!
The 10/10 worked out great. Thank you for suggesting it! I’m hoping to do a solid 14 tomorrow.