Monday, October 11, 2010

week 5 part 4

Not sure how my posts got off on the numbering, but for future reference the long run marks the end of a training week for me. Thus this post at the beginning of a calendar week is still about the previous week's long run, and as such, week 5.

I did the 5.5 mile run on the Katy Trail for the first time keeping time yesterday afternoon. That great yellow sphincter in the sky was squinting down at me pretty hard for an October afternoon. I deliberately did not check my splits on this run, just to see what I'd do without the clock to guide me. I ended up finishing in 48:34, closer to 9 min/mile than 8. I blame it on right knee pain after the second mile, the relative lack of pacers (other runners unwittingly serving as my rabbits), and that bloody sun. I think I'll do better this week.

If I were still going by Hal Higdon's intermediate schedule, next week would consist of 3 mile run + weights, 5.5 mile run, 10x400m sprints, 4 mile run + strength, rest, 60 minute cross train, and 7 mile run. Laughable at this point. Even if I carved out time for it by running at 5 a.m. every day, my knee would never allow it. Instead I'll shoot for weights, 5 mile run, weights, 5 mile run, weights, rest, 6 mile run. Not quite a "novice" schedule, but close. I'm still thinking once I get to a long run of 8 miles I'll either add a day of speed training or substitute for one of the short run days. Despite the poor time this week I'm still confident I'll be able to break 8 minutes/mile for the full 10k in a couple weeks. I might start looking for some 5ks to run just to get a little competitive running in and see how my pace stacks up on the real.

In other news, board review goes slowly. Thinking it's time to break out the flashcards already.

4 comments:

Ojo Rojo said...

What's up with the knee?

Rimas Kurtinaitis said...

At first I thought it was just overtraining, but now I'm not sure. My right knee swells a little bit after every run and has a little click in it, probably a lateral meniscus tear.

Snake Diggity said...

Is there something to be done, or are you just buffed?

Rimas Kurtinaitis said...

with rest and time it should be okay. If my knee starts to lock up at points in the range of motion I'll have to have surgery to trim that shit off. That's one reason I've been slacking off the runs a little more, and I stopped doing leaps altogether.