I’m rebranding the Friday Ramble as a weekly Training Update, where I can dump my latest running progress and thoughts about the sport. The Ramble was largely running-focused anyway, and on the days it strayed into something else it started to look too much like my weekly newsletters. So I’m thinking the change will be minimal.
The past week’s running has been a mixed bag, to say the least. I ran 10 miles last Saturday and 20 miles last Sunday, in an effort to build up my back-to-back mileage in preparation for an ultra this summer. The 10-miler I ran at a fast (for me) 7:30 pace, and the longer run I did at a manageable 8:20 pace. I’ve found 8:20 to 8:30 minute miles to be the right speed for long runs in the spring and fall – summer is usually closer to 9:00 minutes. I try as hard as possible to keep the pace comfortable and to just “breeze” through the miles as much as possible. In my experience, if you’re not enjoying your long runs, training is going to be a very painful process to get through.
After Sunday, my legs were shot. My thighs felt like they’d been hit repeatedly by a crowbar. This was most likely a function of: 1) dehydration, 2) poor recovery post-run, and 3) increasing my weekly mileage too quickly. All avoidable problems but hey! As I said a few weeks back in my newsletter, I have a ton of energy for running these days and don’t want to lose it. If that means being a little over-eager I’ll take it.
But a result of Sunday’s over-exertion was a much needed rest day Monday, an unenjoyable six miles on Tuesday, another rest day on Wednesday, and another bland four miles Thursday. A week of running “ruined” because of a hard effort to finish up the previous one. Not until this morning’s 10 miler did my legs feel fresh and my energy levels feel high. There’s a lesson in there about the importance of rest and recovery that I still have yet to fully learn.
The nice thing about these last few days is that I’ve been back in Baltimore, helping my parents move, which means a return to my old routes through the city. Here’s Sunday’s long run, from Northern Baltimore to the Inner Harbor’s Fort McHenry (inspiration for the Star-Spangled Banner) and back:
And then here’s this morning’s run from the Canton/Highlandtown neighborhood into Locust Point, across the harbor:
I’ve been running for roughly six years, and nowhere do I feel that time more intimately than when I’m back running in Baltimore. That’s where it all started, and the crisp morning views from any point on the harbor bring back memories of those early runs with nothing but my Timex watch (the same one I’m back to using now) and shitty $40 shoes.
Post-Run Meals
One upside to a certain level of distance running is the level of food consumption that can come with it. At a certain point, burning 1,500-2,500 calories in one sitting gives you free reign to demolish whatever post-run food you want. I love McDonald’s, so McDonald’s is what I usually end up eating. This morning’s a good example:
This is an unhealthy habit to develop. At some point I won’t be running as far anymore, but I’ll still feel as though I need twice as much food to be full. Gluttony will stay with me much longer than my body can keep up the miles. But that’s a tomorrow problem. For today, this breakfast was awesome.