Training recap week #25

On Monday I did an easy run up and down the mountain. I wore my knee support and everything was good. Tuesday I did some core exercises and stretching at home. I tried running the rest of the week without any knee support. On Wednesday, I tried out the POSE method on the local track (check out my separate post), and Friday I tried this out on the treadmill to see if I could reach my regular tempo pace. This was no easy feat! I started out relatively easy and as soon as I leaned in to advance my hips and shift my center of gravity forward, I immediately accelerated right into the front of the treadmill...I then increased the incline to 2% and resumed running while concentrating on my form. After 2 minutes, I increased the speed, and then again after another 2 minutes. I was now at my race pace and it seemed manageable, but I could feel my heart was working more and I was breathing much heavier than when I ran at this pace using my old form. Another 2 minutes, and I bumped up the speed to threshold pace. I could now feel the burn in my calves as I worked furiously on the LIFT part of the technique. The funny thing is that I am used to running at 90 individual foot strikes per minute using my old form, but for some reason, maintaining the same cadence using this form seems so much more effort judging by my breathing - not my legs. I feel it is more of a cardio workout than it was previously, which makes me wonder if I am truly at the lactate acid threshold pace. I think I should be working my legs more...All told, over the 5 km distance in 26 minutes, I spent 15 minutes in HR zone 4 (between 80-89% of max HR) and reached a high HR of 160 bpm. I couldn't maintain the pace continuously so I had to take thirty-second walk breaks every five minutes. On Sunday, I did a 13.2-mile long run using the method and I found it difficult right off the bat to find a pace that was not bringing my HR up. I suppose this has to do with getting my body used to the new technique more than the actual effort. I found my Easy pace to be a tad slower than my regular form and I had to consciously think about pushing my hips forward to move my center of gravity and accelerate. I maintained an average pace of 10:27 min/mi. and finished the half in 2:17. My easy pace should be more in the 8-9 min/mi range. I suppose it will become easier. By the end of the run, I still felt fresh in the legs. I could feel my IT Band was irritated again though so I stretched and iced it before going to bed. I feel the fatigue in my calves, though.

Total weekly mileage : 41.1 km