Week Five Training Update

I am officially fed up with the weather in Seattle and starting to get pissed! I went for an 8 mile run on Thursday morning and it poured the entire time - not just a little rain but torrential rain and accompaning wind the entire time!  I am just in from a 12 mile run this morning and although it was not pouring - it rained the entire time! Sometimes I wonder why we stay here! It's 46 frigging degrees out and it's almost June - no wonder Dr. Townsend (my cute Dr.) had me start taking vitamin D! Thankfully we are headed to sunny California later this week to celebrate my Mom's 70th birthday! According to the 10 day forecast - sunny and 80!

Oh well - the good news is that I never let the weather keep me from doing anything I want to do and I know the second the sun comes out and its beautiful I'll quickly be reminded why we live here.

Now to the week 5 training update. It's hard to believe that 5 weeks have passed so quickly. Overall I have to say that I'm very pleased with my progress and I've managed to take off a few pounds in the process! I'm most impressed with my recovery from the Capital City Marathon. This was the first one that I've ran in which I recovered so quickly and virtually took no time off before resuming my training. I've been thinking a lot about it this week and have not pinpointed one thing but here are the things that I believe contributed to it:

Diet - I've been eating pretty well, tracking my food, no alcohol, little fried food, smoothies with whey protein. Basically following the principle that the food I take in is fuel to improve my running and I only want to take in the best.

Slow Pace - This is the first marathon that I intentionally started off much slower than my goal pace and consequently the first marathon that I was successful doing a negative spilt in which I ran the second half faster than the first. I hung way back relaxed, talked with other runners and ended up running in a much better time than I had expected.

Sponges - This was the first race that handed out cold sponges at most of the water stops and I tried something new that one of my running mentors had suggested. As opposed to passing on the sponges or only taking them and wiping down and then throwing them away, I took a sponge each time offered, briefly wiped down face, neck and forehead and then took the cool sponge and tucked in the small of my back under the elastic of my shorts until the next place they were handing them out - and them started over again. The theory being that helps to keep your core temperature regulated so you do not over heat.

Gu - I did not bring any along but they handed it out two times during the marathon and I took it both times.

Roller Massager - Several weeks ago while at my favorite running store - Road Runner, picking up new running shoes for Kent, I picked up a Roller Massager. I was first introduced to them at the running Expo in New York and love, love , love it! It feels really good and helps work out the muscle aches following a run.

Finally and the thing that I think may have made the biggest difference - A 10 min. post marathon leg massage! I'm getting a little old to use "OMG" but I'm going to do it any way! OMG - it felt so good. I never do this following a marathon despite the fact that they are often offered and free once you are done. The line is usually too long and I'm ready to move on but this time it all fell into place. I finished a full 10 minutes before I told Kent to expect me so when I finished he had not yet arrived - I walked around for a few minutes and was standing near the massage tables and this guy asks me if I want a recovery massage - Kent was not there, no line, my legs were sore and the guy was cute - It did not take any convincing to get me to jump up on the table!  About half way through he used ice with his massage technique that felt really good and he said along with the massage would aid in my recovery.

I'm really not sure what helped the most but I can tell you at this point - I do not plan on changing a thing!

Quick week five training mileage update:

Sunday - 26.2 - marathon

Monday - rest

Tuesday - 4.11 easy run

Wednesday - 5.30 easy run

Thursday - 8.40 easy run

Friday - 7.03 easy run

Saturday - rest

Have a great week everyone! Thanks too for the comments, I'm really enjoying getting to know folks through their blogs - there are some really great ones that are entertaining, funny, and inspiring! Keep up the great work!

Later,

Jim