To Infinity and Beyond - Becoming a Better DopeyBadger (Comments Welcome)

[DopeyBadger]

Ms. Marvel - Making the Top of the Fist
-Initial Design and Working on the Bracelet
-Fun with magnets
-Bengal Painting

Alright, so the bengal (bracelet) has mostly been finished to this point. So that meant it was time to go back to working on the fist. We last left off with having finished the fingers and were working on creating a magnet bond with the middle knuckle of the fingers. This middle knuckle would connect to the bottom half of the fist and the magnets we've already put together. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like I took any pictures in-between that step and the next. But you'll see it as we move on from there.

Now that the complete connection between the top half of the fist and bottom half of the fist is finished, I can now start working on completing the top half of the fist. I started at the wrist. So I needed to curve a piece of foam to connect the two ends of the top/bottom. But I also needed this curved piece to be roughly the same size and shape of the bengal. It took a little work, but eventually I got something I was happy with. Trouble is, it was hard to cement glue it in place. Essentially it took me holding perfectly still with it folded in place for about 20 min. Eventually the bond was made and the curve of the top of the wrist was done. Again, no pictures, but you'll see it.

From there, it was all about figuring out the best way to make a connection from the top of the knuckles down to the wrist. I also wanted to give each finger a little bit of definition coming off the knuckles, and all of the knuckles weren't perfectly aligned (as was the plan). So ultimately, I went with a pentagon shape similar to a baseball home plate. Thank G for the fabulous picture angle here (LOL!). Hey, at least I've got a picture!



Below my right wrist you can make out the curved wrist piece. Once I place all four top knuckles in place, I got this:



Then it was a matter of building in the sides to provide some structure:



As the build continued the pieces were getting trickier and trickier. Mostly because I was working with a lot of 2-D shapes to align, but then the 3-D shapes needed to be matched up as well. Then it came for the bulk top of the hand section. Originally, our plan was to 3-D diamond build this piece to give it a geometric shape similar to the MCU fist seen here:



Problem is, it was becoming increasingly obvious how difficult it would be to match up all the pieces perfectly. So instead I opted for one large base plate. I felt like this would give me a more sturdy structure to work from, and would be far easier. I cut then cut in some lines if I so choose when the painting comes to give it the appearance of separate pieces coming together. So I got this:



About this point is when I realized my proportions were slightly off. Originally the fist should have been about 60% hand and 40% fingers. But it ended up being more like 50/50. I think in the end the bengal will help keep it from looking too distorted. Next, we just had to continue to line up all the pieces along the edge line to fill in the gaps. So G helped me do some measuring, and cutting, and re-measuring, and re-cutting, and after several tries we eventually were able to get pieces to the right size to fit in the gaps.





I did some shaving down of the jut outs, and then the top was mostly finished. Now it was time for the bottom half of the first.



I had spent a lot of time working on the geometry of the top half. Fingers, knuckles, hand, proportions, that I hadn't done much work on what the bottom half would look like. I also re-checked my total height of the fist and saw we're closing in on the luggage size limit. So I was going to have to be careful that I don't overbuild it. So I did some measurements on my hand drawing and determined the best course of action.

Next was making the bottom half of the wrist. Same procedure as the top. Measure three times, cut it, and then cement glue it in place for 20 min holding perfectly still. Thankfully the shape of the wrist on the fist is roughly the same shape as the bracelet. So once the fist is done, then I can drill magnets into both pieces to make them one connected finished piece.

I chose to make the bottom of the fingers (in reality it's the top of them if you were to look at your hand) all one piece for one very important reason. If we choose to put lights in it, it would be really nice if we had a large flat surface to work with for batteries or computer components if necessary. So by having this large piece where the fingers are would give me some freedom later on. I also wanted to give ourselves a little room from the middle knuckle area, so I built it at a slant giving the appearance that the fingers were folded in on themselves. So we came up with this:





That's where we've gotten so far. The foam will be cut into along the finger lines to make it appear like separate pieces glued together. Next up is working on the thumb, and finishing out the rest of the bottom of the fist.

Next Post: Finishing the foam fist construction and painting (part 1)!

 

[DopeyBadger]

13 Weeks to go - Canova Fundamental Phase - Week 3/6





8/8/22-8/14/22
Tues (8/9): Canova Long Alternations
Wed (8/10): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:38 min/mile, 123 bpm)
Thurs (8/11): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:27 min/mile, 124 bpm)
Fri (8/12): 11 miles @ 85% M Tempo (8:05 min/mile, 131 bpm)
Sat (8/13): 20 miles @ 80% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:16 min/mile, 129 bpm) + LIIFT4-Chest/Back
Sun (8/14): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:21 min/mile, 119 bpm) + LIIFT4-Arms/Shoulders

Total Run Miles - 63.7 miles
Total Run Time - 9:06 hours
Total Strength Time - 1:13 hours
Total Training Time - 10:20 hours


Tuesday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 2mph to 4mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 76°F + 61°F; FL - 76°F
End: Temp+Dew = 73°F + 63°F; FL - 76°F

Because of running in the rain in my new Next% I was a little concerned whether they'd be dry by today. All was ok though. I did develop a few small blisters on the edge of my 2nd and 3rd toe. But nothing too concerning. So the workout originally scheduled for today back when I wrote the plan was another down/uphill Mona style workout (9 min 100% M Tempo w/ 15s uphills). But I pivoted to a different Canova Fundamental workout instead. Something a little more challenging and with sustained paces and no breaks. So I went with the Canova Long Alternations workout. Something that will make several appearances as time goes on in different iterations.


4 sets of (2 miles @ 93% M Tempo + 0.5 mile @ 80% M Tempo)

93% M Tempo Goal Pace = 7:32 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 7:45 min/mile

80% M Tempo Goal Pace = 8:26 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 8:42 min/mile


The weather was nicer than it has been recently. So I just went out with the plan of just letting the workout come to me how it wanted to.



Per grade adjusted pacing, the consistency was strong in this workout. The intervals were 7:28/7:31, 7:36/7:30, 7:31/7:31, and 7:26/7:27. So the total workout was within a 10 second range. The real paces show more variation, but that'll happen when you're running up and down hills. The difficulty was different for each rep too based on where I was on my normal route in terms of the hills. The first rep was flat and ended uphill, the second was down and flat, the third was up and flat, and the fourth was flat. My back really tightened up after the third rep and for the first few moments of the fourth rep I wasn't getting much bounce from my legs. They felt really stick like. They did loosen up a little as the fourth rep finished though. I took an extended cool down just to work everything out and all was fine as the workout came to a close.

Actual Pace = 7:35 min/mile, 8:31 min/mile
Actual Grade Adj. Pace = 7:30 min/mile, 8:27 min/mile

Overall, I'm happy with the workout. I didn't think Sunday's 9.5 miles at 7:44 (90%) was going to be all that challenging. So I placed this workout here on Tuesday. At the end of the day, I was able to handle it just fine and it gave me an extra easy day before my Fri/Sat long run combo.

Adjusting for T+D, the actual pace was something like 7:22 at HR of 141 bpm. So I was moving quick. It's definitely in the top 3 or so of conversions around this pace.



Wednesday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 7mph to 10mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 81°F + 66°F; FL - 83°F
End: Temp+Dew = 80°F + 68°F; FL - 83°F

My body let me know how worn down it was on this one. Real stiff and sore, but I just took it nice and easy. From memory, my body felt alright coming out of this one. The left glute has been less and less of a concern.



Thursday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 8mph to 10mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 75°F + 57°F; FL - 75°F
End: Temp+Dew = 73°F + 58°F; FL - 75°F

Another nice and easy run. The body felt better than Wednesday, but still didn't have any desire to push the pace. Especially since I already had a doozy of a combo coming on Fri/Sat. Save the energy.



Friday

Conditions - Overcast, Wind 5mph to 10mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 65°F + 57°F; FL - 65°F
End: Temp+Dew = 66°F + 59°F; FL - 65°F

Alright, here we go. I was back and forth with myself on this one. Was it really smart of me to try and do 11 miles Fri PM and then 19-20 miles Sat AM? That's a pretty tight timeframe. But Steph's schedule was debatable on both Sat/Sun, so I just went with doing the workouts as planned on Fri/Sat.

85% Goal Pace = 8:05 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 8:13 min/mile

Despite having two easy days between the Canova Alts and this one, my body really didn't want to do this pace at the outset. But once I got past the first mile things started to open up a bit more and then the legs settled in. I'm not sure if I ever felt comfortable per se, but I was handling the pace fine. The cooler weather certainly wasn't hurting the situation. Ultimately if I ended up a little on the slower side of the goal, I was ok with it since I had another long run only 12 hrs later. But in the second half the legs were looser and I was hitting on the faster end of the goal pace. So all was good.

Actual Pace = 8:05 min/mile
Grade Adj. Pace = 8:01 min/mile

So those who've read for a while may remember that I set a threshold of 9:00 min/mile and 130 bpm as being in good shape for me. If I can get the conversion below that, then I'm getting close to being in racing shape. I've been under that mark for a while now during this training plan. But this particular run was a T+D adjusted 7:58 in 131 bpm. So we're reaching rarified air now. This is a new place to be where 130bpm is now a sub-8 pace instead. I scanned through the HR v T+D adjusted pace data set, and I couldn't find a better conversion around this pace. So I think this may mark a new level of fitness. The slower side of the endurance pacing continues to show a decent improvement.


Saturday

Conditions - Overcast, Wind 11mph to 22mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 62°F + 58°F; FL - 62°F
End: Temp+Dew = 66°F + 61°F; FL - 62°F

Alright, here we go. Aiming for 2:45 hrs. No big deal, we've got this. Only been 12 hrs since I was doing the other run. Oh look, it'll be an unofficial 50k in about 15 hrs if things go to plan. Because of everyone's schedules, I was up at 5:15am and out the door at about 6:30am. I had Liquid IV right upon waking, and then Maurten 320 right before I headed out the door. I took my normal marathon nutrition routine of concentrated Tailwind, Maurten gel (caff and no caff), and Egels. I consumed about 80-100 oz of water in 5 mile loops on the Jack/Jill route.

80% M Tempo Goal Pace = 8:26 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 8:37 min/mile



This run felt like three parts to me. The first part (about 2-3 miles or so) my body was protesting the run. I was doing alright pace wise, but it took some effort to keep me going. The second part is when everything settled in and I was just clicking the miles off. I'd say this lasted until about 15-16 miles. I was never really pressing and just simply gliding over the course without much effort. The third part is when the sun came out. It had been 100% cloudy prior to that, so the sun made for a bit of a difference in how things felt. You can even see it in the HR.



Everything's just clicking along, and then you can see a slight pivot upwards at about 2:00-2:10 hrs. The pace increased a little bit here as well, but I'd say it was more of a response to the sun that that. It was somewhere around 18 miles or so that I did some math and realized if I wanted to hit 2:45 hrs that I was probably going to be more in the 20 mile range than 19.25-19.5 mile range. So I just kept plugging along until I was at 20 miles and also just a hair above 2:45 hrs.

I did each of the 5 mile loops in 42:09 (8:26), 41:40 (8:20), 41:15 (8:15), 40:15 (8:03).

Actual Pace = 8:16 min/mile
Grade Adj. Pace = 8:10 min/mile

This is another one of those cases that when the long endurance run gets tough I find myself leaning into it and picking the pace up as the race proceeds. Certainly not an intentional choice, but my body just feels more comfortable doing that than trying to pull back sometimes. But I also pay for that effort level sometimes.

At the end, this was 8:16 pace (or 8:06 adjusted) at a HR of 129 bpm. This falls in line with Friday's run in that it's some of the best relationships I've ever seen. So round of applause to where this training plan has gotten me thus far. Now here's the catch. Historically, my body hasn't performed well on long training plans (I'm in Week 17 of 30 right now), nor has it liked me going over 9 hrs of running in a single week (which this week ends up being after Sunday). A big difference is that the intensity in this training plan has thus far been way lower than when I did a long training plan or long weeks like this one. It'll be interesting to see how the final 13 weeks play out. I'm hitting conversions at the top or possibly records compared to past data. I'm still questioning whether my top end endurance is as good as my slower endurance stuff. But ultimately that's why I've got 13 weeks to go.

After the run was done, I stretched, got a change of clothes, and then went down to the basement to do the LIIFT4-chest/back workout. It was a doozy, but I performed quite well given I had 2:45 hrs on the legs already. I was a little concerned about the inclined chest presses, but my hamstrings cooperated.

Both knees were a little achy as the day proceeded. I made sure to take the dog for a walk, and I laid across the couch to put my leg in a straight position instead of sitting in a chair (with a constant bend). It's atypical of me to do long runs on Saturday, and because of Steph's work schedule I rarely run on Mondays. So it's been a while since I've done a run the day after a really long run like this one.


Sunday

Conditions - Overcast, Wind 11mph to 18mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 65°F + 64°F; FL - 66°F
End: Temp+Dew = 66°F + 65°F; FL - 66°F

Steph didn't end up having to work, and we didn't really have any plans. So I took advantage and slept a solid and almost straight-through 10.5 hrs. My body was tired, but appreciated the extra rest. Both knees felt fine pre-workout, so I felt fine to go.

I wasn't sure how my body would feel. But it actually felt surprisingly good. I would say it didn't feel like I had run 20 miles the day prior. I don't think I could have done a hard workout, but my body felt like it was close to that capability. So not half bad after what I put myself on Fri/Sat. The workout itself was fine today. I never got a performance condition score during the run, so I suspected it meant my HR was really low. It was. The run ended at 119 bpm. That's the second lowest HR run that's not a pre-race WU, and not a Gigi run. The only other run with a sub-120 bpm HR was on 3/3/22 at 45 min at 116bpm right after we returned from Disney (9:29 pace). I had suspected that one was because of coming off heat adaptation back into a much cooler climate. So essentially Fri, Sat, and Sun were all types of records.

This marks the end to a 63.7 mile and 9:06hr week. The last time I went over 9 hrs of running in a single week was July 2018 (a single time), and then December 2017 (a single time), and then several times in the summer of 2017. So this isn't a place I've gone often, and isn't a place I like to go based on history. Now we're getting close to where the Canova plan shifts. The focus is going to change from increasing volume to increasing intensity/difficulty of the runs. We're not quite there yet, but I can see how my body has responded to the first goal of the Canova training. Now I just need to work on the faster end endurance ability.

I changed the plan on my other spreadsheet, so now I'm not exactly sure what the plan is. I believe I put in a Canova Circuit workout on Tuesday (depending on how I was feeling and I'm sure I'll feel good), then an easy Wed, then a hard Thursday workout (I think I moved the 48 min Prog from 100% up to 105% to this week, and then placed another Long Alt workout the week of 8/22 expect goal pace is 97% instead of 93%), then Sat is 90 min 85%, and Sun is 85 min 90% (7:44).

 

[azrivest]

So I think this may mark a new level of fitness.

Congrats. Seriously. You're an inspiration to all of us on this board in more ways than one.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Congrats. Seriously. You're an inspiration to all of us on this board in more ways than one.

Thanks!

 

[DopeyBadger]

For the purpose of record keeping, the HRvPace graph says this at the moment:

If convert as well as Dopey 2017 or Lakefront 2017 at pace equal to trendline HR of 146, then 3:03:32 (7:00 pace).
If convert as well as Madison 2021 at pace equal to trendline HR of 143, then 3:09:39 (7:14 pace).
If convert as well as Dopey 2018 (after other races) or Non-Cancelled 2021 at pace equal to trendline HR of 139, then 3:19:16 (7:36 pace).

I'd like to think Dopey 2017/Lake 2017 represents my best conversion (or my celling), and Non-Cancelled 2021 (with primarily run+cycle+strength) represents my floor. So the current range is 3:03-3:19 based on this data set if I were actually prepared to race right now (which I don't think I am). For reference, my absolute peak curve was Dopey 2018 which put my 146 bpm HR at 6:51.



You can see all the blue squares (current) and where they're falling when compared to other time periods. Princess 2022 is a funky curve because there weren't many high HR runs with useable data (the rep length was too short) since the focus was on 10k.

 

[Cabius]

I had Liquid IV right upon waking, and then Maurten 320 right before I headed out the door. I took my normal marathon nutrition routine of concentrated Tailwind, Maurten gel (caff and no caff), and Egels. I consumed about 80-100 oz of water in 5 mile loops on the Jack/Jill route.

I think I've seen you talk about Maurten 320, particularly for pre-race carb-loading the day before a race. I'm curious how you're recommend building up to that.

I'd like to try it for my half-marathon (in 6 weeks) as a trial run for the January WDW marathon, but presumably I should try it for a long run prior to that as well, right? Any other particularly tips or mistakes to avoid?

 

[dis_or_dat]

Love having all that data to see where you are currently.

@Cabius - I love Maurten 320. Definitely try it before your long run. There's a fueling plan on the website and it says to take it 3 hours before the long run. Yikes, I'd been trying to get it in 30 min beforehand. Maybe @DopeyBadger has better tips. The powder is hard to mix too.

 

[DopeyBadger]

I think I've seen you talk about Maurten 320, particularly for pre-race carb-loading the day before a race. I'm curious how you're recommend building up to that.

I'd like to try it for my half-marathon (in 6 weeks) as a trial run for the January WDW marathon, but presumably I should try it for a long run prior to that as well, right? Any other particularly tips or mistakes to avoid?

Glycogen Supercompensation (AKA Carb Loading)

I cover the ins and outs of the Western Australian Method here. I've been using it in practice for a few years now. I've found that I do better with 50% from Maurten 320 and 50% from solid foods. I was aggressively hungry during the marathons when I was doing 80% from Maurten 320, and occasionally was finding myself maybe overhydrated. So dropping it down to 50% of carbs from Maurten 320 helped. The goal is to get over 10.3 g/kg bw, but there's reason to believe that 11-12 may be even better (based on limited research data). So I typically find myself in the 11-12 range.

I recommend practicing the carb loading on the third to last actual long run (so like if you were doing 20 miles at peak, then 18 was the next highest, and then 16 was the next highest, practice on the 16 miler). You want the focus of the last two long runs to actually be on the long run, in case something goes wrong with the carb loading tolerance.

It's expensive. So it depends on how you view the HM and whether you want to risk that race as the first time you try out this method. If you want the HM to be an "A" level effort, then I'd try and practice it on a long training run prior (even if you're already past the 3rd highest long run left).

Love having all that data to see where you are currently.

Thanks!

@Cabius - I love Maurten 320. Definitely try it before your long run. There's a fueling plan on the website and it says to take it 3 hours before the long run. Yikes, I'd been trying to get it in 30 min beforehand. Maybe @DopeyBadger has better tips. The powder is hard to mix too.

Yes, so you're referring to pre-race (as in on race day) and @Cabius is referring to carb loading the day prior. You could take the Maurten 320 in 3 hours prior, but then according to the research you should consider that more like a meal than in-race nutrition. If you consume it within about 15 min prior to the race it shouldn't have time to reach the bladder, and your body has decent time to absorb it, and per the research is viewed by the body as in-race nutrition. It's not wrong to take it at 3 hours, just a different way to go about preparing yourself for racing.

As for mixing the powder, I use a blender bottle that has a metal agitator ball in it. It helps. I've found that more recently the Maurten 320 doesn't seem to mix as well as it used to. They're specific about the volume of water used and the calcium content which I've never bothered checking. I feel like even if I get it to dissolve at 75% the content, then I'm still doing alright in terms of consumption.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Here's one we've haven't checked into in a while, how's the old resting HR doing these days? We're at 2089 days of data now.



The data set is getting so large that the picture is getting small.

Pretty amazing to see the resting HR response as soon as I switched back to exclusive running and doing higher total volume again (starting with Madison 2021-Hansons Int). HR was barely under 50bpm in the time prior, and during that training plan worked all the way down to 46 bpm. Now in the last year since, I've almost been exclusively under 50bpm. This has been a good long stretch of sub-50 bpm not seen ever before in the data all the way back to late 2016. Nice!

 

[striker1064]

Do you rely on your Garmin for RHR, or do you use a chest strap?

I never paid a whole lot of attention to RHR (but I do recognize its benefits). However, I checked my Garmin not long ago and much to my surprise, my rolling 7-day average RHR has been in the 44 - 48 range. I'm just not sure that it's accurate.

 

[DopeyBadger]

Do you rely on your Garmin for RHR, or do you use a chest strap?

Garmin watch. It was the Garmin 235 up until Sept 2021, and now the Garmin 245. The chest strap would be cumbersome to wear during non-running times just to collect resting HR data. And my lowest HR of the day tends to happen when I'm sleeping and right before I wake.

I never paid a whole lot of attention to RHR (but I do recognize its benefits). However, I checked my Garmin not long ago and much to my surprise, my rolling 7-day average RHR has been in the 44 - 48 range. I'm just not sure that it's accurate.

Doesn't have to be accurate as long as it is precise. I only compare my data within my own closed system. So it doesn't matter if my Garmin 235 or 245 isn't accurate as long as it is consistent against itself. So maybe my 45 bpm and your 50bpm are both actually 47bpm, but as long as the relative difference between my own 60 bpm and 45 bpm is the same, then the data is good enough for comparing against myself. And given the trends I see in the data (like how my resting HR goes up after a really really hard run, or when I get sick, or when I'm not doing as much running OR it tends to go way down on Tues morning because of Monday rest day, or goes down when I'm in a high period of run volume training) I'm pretty confident in it's consistency. That could be bias too though. Maybe it can't tell me my HR right now in this very moment with consistency, but I'm looking at a much more zoomed out value with 24hrs of data summarized into one value, and then 7 x 24 hrs of data summarized into a single data point.

 

[DopeyBadger]

12 Weeks to go - Canova Fundamental Phase - Week 4/6





8/15/22-8/21/22
Tues (8/16): 4 sets of Canova Circuits
Wed (8/17): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:44 min/mile, 124 bpm)
Thurs (8/18): Canova Progression on Jack/Jill
Fri (8/19): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:35 min/mile, 123 bpm)
Sat (8/20): 11 miles @ 80% M Tempo (7:59 min/mile, 135 bpm) + LIIFT4-Chest/Back
Sun (8/21): 11 miles @ 90% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (7:45 min/mile, 137 bpm) + LIIFT4-Arms/Shoulders

Total Run Miles - 55.8 miles
Total Run Time - 7:48 hours
Total Strength Time - 1:15 hours
Total Training Time - 9:03 hours


Tuesday

It's that time of the training plan. Things are going well, fitness is in a good place, so the mental games tend to ramp up about now. Post-Sunday's update, both legs said they had stress fractures. But I doubted that was the case. On Tuesday morning, my co-worker who is also training for the Madison M came in on crutches. After describing her symptoms it sounded a lot like ankle tendonitis, but told her she should get a professional opinion. Only a few hours later, suddenly my right ankle was all like, "yea, you have ankle tendonitis too". It was hard to argue with it though, because I just wasn't sure.

I decided to wear my Endorphin Pro shoes for this one.

4 sets of (6 x 400m at 100% M Tempo w/ 30 sec HIIT exercise between reps) w/ 5 min resting interval between sets. HIIT exercises included: squats, squat jumps, squat jacks, lunges, lunges w/ power through, butt kicks, skipping, bunny hops, or bounding.

100% M Tempo Goal Pace = 7:02 min/mile
T+D Adj. Pace = 7:15 min/mile

Conditions - Clear, Wind 7mph to 9mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 76°F + 61°F; FL - 76°F
End: Temp+Dew = 74°F + 62°F; FL - 76°F

I didn't want to run down the short steep hill, but I also wanted to do my HIIT moves at the empty lot. So that meant in this third iteration that I would do loops in a single direction instead of out/backs like the last two times. I also originally had this as a 4 set workout when it was the only workout this week. Then I moved the Progression from the upcoming week to this week and shifted the circuits to Tuesday. I dropped it down to 3 sets (like the other two attempts). But then as the day progressed, I decided I would see if I could manage a quality five sets.



Going the same direction on all the turns was the wrong decision. Compounded with it going in the direction where I put more pressure on the right ankle. So that made the right ankle angry throughout most of this workout. The first set was about getting into a groove. The second and third set were all about holding that groove. But after the third set, I decided that I was going to stop at four sets. I felt like the quality was starting to slip.

Actual Pace = 7:00 min/mile
Grade Adj. Pace = 6:52 min/mile

I went a little too quick on this one. The goal was marathon pace, and with temp and grade adjustments this was more like HM Tempo (6:39 min/mile). While the right ankle was angry, it didn't feel like it got any worse.



Wednesday

Conditions - Partly Cloudy, Wind 4mph to 4mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 78°F + 63°F; FL - 78°F
End: Temp+Dew = 77°F + 64°F; FL - 78°F

Huge ankle crack during the day, and quite a few smaller ones throughout the day. Just trying to get some movement in it.

The run itself was fine, but the ankle wasn't pleased. I did feel pretty beat up from the day prior's run. As the run progressed the ankle was trying to bother me. Didn't feel any worse after finishing.



Thursday

Spent some time reviewing my previous training journal entries. I thought it had been years since I've had a lingering ankle issue, but upon a search through previous posts I saw that my ankle was being a little angry during the 2021 Madison M training cycle as well. Interestingly enough, it actually happened during this exact training week (12 weeks to go) as well. So that definitely made me feel a bit better about it since reading those entries showed that after about 1.5 weeks it resolved.

No rain in the forecast, so I tried out the Alphaflys today. I was a little concerned that maybe it would cause more issues with my ankle, but I was willing to take that chance.

Conditions - Partly Cloudy, Wind 8mph to 12mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 78°F + 61°F; FL - 78°F
End: Temp+Dew = 76°F + 62°F; FL - 78°F

4 x 12 min Progression @ 100%, 102%, 104%, 106% with no rest intervals

100% M Tempo = 7:02 min/mile
T+D Adj. = 7:15 min/mile

102% M Tempo = 6:54 min/mile
T+D Adj. = 7:06 min/mile

104% M Tempo = 6:45 min/mile
T+D Adj. = 6:57 min/mile

106% M Tempo = 6:37 min/mile
T+D Adj. = 6:49 min/mile

I tried to amp myself up for this one because I knew that 48 min at M Tempo or faster without rest breaks was going to be a challenge. I also increased the challenge by doing this on my Jack/Jill route. This run was done without nutrition.



The WU was fine. I started off and within about a mile I developed a side stitch. I felt like it was a little soon to get a side stitch in a paced run. I worked it out, and was able to settle in. I was aiming for around 7:15 m/m pace for the first 12 min interval and did it in 7:16. So I was doing well. The second rep goal was 7:06 m/m pace, and I increased the effort a little and hit 7:02 grade adjusted pace. It was somewhere around the second rep that I headed back to the house for a water stop. I had set my water on a chair to make it so I could grab it quick without having to bend down much. Unfortunately I bungled the exchange and knocked the bottle off the chair and it spilled most of the contents. So alright, we're ramping up the difficulty of the run with limited water now too. The third 12 min rep was suppose to be 6:57 pace, and I was a little off at 7:00 grade adjusted pace. The effort level was pretty high at this point. I think it was during the third rep that I got a second side stitch. Like for reals? I worked through it again. I tried to increase the effort level again for the last 12 min rep. I was aiming for 6:49 m/m pace, but only managed to maintain the 7:02 grade adjusted pace.

Actual Splits = 7:16, 7:14, 7:01, 7:01
Actual Grade Adj. Splits = 7:16, 7:02, 7:00, 7:02

Average Pace = 7:08 min/mile
Average GAP = 7:03 min/mile

The run went alright. I was pretty tired at the end of it. This ended up being more like a sustained 48 min (6.75 mi) run than a progression. Which given the grade and temps, this was like 30km pace. So a pretty challenging effort.

The Alphaflys performed well. I felt like they really ate the uphills up. I'm still much stronger on the uphills than the downhills. I'll save these shoes for race day now.

The ankle gave me zero issues during this run and after.


Friday

Conditions - Mostly Cloudy, Wind 12mph to 19mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 75°F + 65°F; FL - 76°F
End: Temp+Dew = 74°F + 65°F; FL - 76°F

Body felt pretty beat up again, but just normal fatigue and not because anything actually hurt.



Saturday

Conditions - Overcast, Wind 6mph to 16mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 63°F + 61°F; FL - 63°F
End: Temp+Dew = 65°F + 63°F; FL - 63°F

85% M Tempo Goal Pace = 8:05 min/mile
T+D Ad. Pace = 8:15 min/mile

I woke up at 5:30am and started running at about 7am. I was trying to get out there before the temps and sun ramped up too much. It was a bit of a struggle at the onset to get into the correct pace, but I did eventually settle in.



Probably went a touch too fast since the goal is 7:55-8:05 pace, and I was hovering around 7:50s for grade adjusted pace in non-ideal conditions. The HR was a touch higher than expected (like 1-2 bpm), but given the last week was record setting levels of fitness it would be hard to continue to hold that for every single run. There'll be some ebb and flow.

Actual Pace = 7:59 min/mile
Grade Adj Pace = 7:55 min/mile

After the run was over and I did some post-run stretches, I headed to the basement and did the Week 8 LIIFT4-Chest/Back workout. I performed well.


Sunday

Conditions - Mostly Cloudy, Wind 6mph to 12mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 61°F + 61°F; FL - 62°F
End: Temp+Dew = 63°F + 63°F; FL - 62°F

It was going to be cloudy and foggy early in the morning, so I got out there to enjoy that weather. I was up at 5am and out the door by 6:30am. I didn't have any nutrition pre-run.

90% M Tempo Goal Pace = 7:44 min/mile
T+D Adj. Pace = 7:53 min/mile

I did this run on the Jack/Jill route.



It took the first mile and a half, but eventually I got settled in. I wouldn't say I was ever pressed on the run, but it didn't feel completely comfortable. I still had some residual fatigue from Saturday to work through. I was fairly consistent for a good portion of the run, albeit probably a bit too fast.

Actual Pace = 7:45 min/mile
Grade Adj. Pace = 7:40 min/mile

The HR was again about 1-2 bpm higher than peak fitness from last week. So still in a good place though.

I did LIIFT4-Arms/Shoulders after the run. That concludes this run through of LIIFT4 and we'll circle through it again. Despite repeating the program, I'd say I'm very clearly making gains in the weights I use and the definition in my upper body.

Next week will be challenging because it is G's Frozen Jr play week. So there are performances Thurs, Fri, Sat, and Sun. I'm aiming for a 4 x 2 mile at 7:15 pace workout on Tuesday (I'd really like to do it on Wednesday, but then I'll have a 4am run not too long after it. We'll see). Thursday and Friday will be super early workouts (like 4-4:30am) because as soon as I get home from work we're headed to her play performance. Saturday will be 90 min 85%, and then Sunday will be an early morning (because her play is mid-day) of 3 hours at 80% M Tempo (should end up around 21 miles or so). I believe this will represent the peak mileage and duration of the entire training plan, both in a single run and for the week. Then, as the Fundamental phase comes to a close, the focus will change from volume to intensity (and specificity).

 

[azrivest]

Your gif made me chuckle.

 

[DopeyBadger]

11 Weeks to go - Canova Fundamental Phase - Week 5/6




8/22/22-8/28/22
Tues (8/23): Canova Long Alternations
Wed (8/24): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:44 min/mile, 122 bpm)
Thurs (8/25): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:30 min/mile, 121 bpm)
Fri (8/26): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:12 min/mile, 119 bpm)
Sat (8/27): 11 miles @ 85% M Tempo (8:08 min/mile, 131 bpm) + LIIFT4-Chest/Tri
Sun (8/28): 180 min @ 80% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (8:19 min/mile, 128 bpm) + LIIFT4-Back/Biceps

Total Run Miles - 65.1 miles
Total Run Time - 9:18 hours
Total Strength Time - 0:48 hours
Total Training Time - 10:07 hours



Tuesday

The placement of this run was a little tough. G's Frozen Jr. play performances were this week. Which meant I needed to do some early morning running on Thursday and Friday to make sure it happened on schedule. For Addams Family, I could take Friday off to offset the lack of sleep a little. But this week was crazy busy at work so that wasn't going to be possible. So if this Canova Long Alternations workout occurred on Wednesday, as it probably should have given the proximity to the last week's workouts (Canova Circuit on Tues, Canova Progression on Thurs, 90 min 85% MT on Sat, and 90 min 90% MT on Sun), then I would have had a easy run only a few hours later. Plus I anticipated the Canova Long Alternations was going to be a difficult workout, so my body wasn't going to be able to sleep well right after. So with all these things in mind, I moved the Canova LA to Tuesday, and sucked it up best I could.

Conditions - Partly Cloudy, Wind 4mph to 4mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 79°F + 64°F; FL - 79°F
End: Temp+Dew = 75°F + 65°F; FL - 79°F

4 sets of (2 miles @ 98% M Tempo + 0.5 mile @ 80% M Tempo)

98% M Tempo Goal Pace = 7:10 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 7:26 min/mile

80% M Tempo Goal Pace = 8:26 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 8:44 min/mile

So this is a similar workout as to the one done two weeks ago. Except the pace of the 2 mile reps has increased from 93% to 98% (7:32 to 7:10).



I did this one on my normal route. So sometimes I had ups, sometimes downs, and sometimes flat. And no two 2 mile intervals were the same. I also tried to do this un-corrected for T+D since that "Canova Specific Phase" is looming where he doesn't allow temp adjustments anymore. The first rep was 7:11/7:09 for GAP. The second set from memory was the hardest. My right hip was definitely none too pleased that I was trying to run hard again. So it fought me quite a bit. I came close to calling it a day, but it didn't quite reach that threshold of discomfort. The second set was 7:18/7:01. So the first mile was a tad slow, and the second mile was much too fast. You can tell I was starting to suffer a little bit here because my resting interval (which isn't a rest since I'm maintaining 80% M Tempo) was starting to fall off (8:54 GAP). Which is 10 seconds slower than T+D adjusted which I was trying to avoid. The third set was a focus on staying on the right side of the road because my right hip just felt so jammed up (due to camber of the left side of the road causing my footfall on the right side to occur sooner than a full leg extension). The miles were 7:06/7:15, which is alright. The RI fell even further though to 9:20 pace as I was just trying to hold on now. But something definitely changed in the fourth rep. Suddenly everything felt smoother and tighter. I was certainly still tired, but my ability to hit the pace hit a groove. I did the last interval set in 7:00/7:03. And then carried myself through the 2 mile CD.

Actual Pace = 7:13 min/mile, 9:01 min/mile
Actual Grade Adj. Pace = 7:08 min/mile, 8:57 min/mile

Overall, I did well. We were looking at a +16 T+D effect today, and I ended up running the sets at a 7:08 GAP (or something like 6:52 pace adjusted for T+D). So a pretty strong pace for two mile reps with a goal of not full rest between. The HR was strong at 145 bpm which is around predicted M Tempo.

The right hip was worrisome though because it did feel all sorts of jammed. So the goal was to really focus on opposite side running and see if I could get it back to normal in a short period of time.



Wednesday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 8mph to 10mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 79°F + 65°F; FL - 79°F
End: Temp+Dew = 77°F + 66°F; FL - 79°F

Right hip still sore. Focused on right side of road running. I made it through not feeling any worse for having done it. Pace was extra slow at a 9:44 min/mile, and I was rewarded with a low HR of 122.



Thursday

Conditions - 🌧 Drizzle, Wind 11mph to 27mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 65°F + 65°F; FL - 66°F
End: Temp+Dew = 65°F + 65°F; FL - 66°F

Because of G's play, I was up at 3:45am and out the door running by 4:30am. It was raining, and there were a lot of frogs out on the road. I was playing a little reverse frogger since I was trying to avoid stepping on them as they crossed. Some of the frogs were as large as a small cat (like bigger than a softball, but not the size of a volleyball). I would have seriously twisted an ankle if I accidentally stepped on one. Thankfully I didn't. Stayed to the right side of the road again, and the hip was feeling better.

Came home to an email from a disboards member who hasn't posted in the runDisney section in a while. I had written training plans for this person previously, and had been working with their spouse for the last year or so towards a BQ. Sadly, the spouse had passed away in their sleep. It comes as a tremendous shock, and I'm still at a loss for words. I'll refrain from sharing any other details, but simply pass on the message they passed on to me, "Work less and play more".

Gigi's opening night of Frozen Jr. was Thursday evening. It's an all-kids cast. It was enjoyable and a different experience than the adult Addams Family play. G had a few lines in the play and did quite well. Got home and in bed by around 10 or so.



Friday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 5mph to 9mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 61°F + 59°F; FL - 61°F
End: Temp+Dew = 59°F + 58°F; FL - 61°F

Time to do it all over again. I was up at 3:45am, and out the door at 4:32am. It felt reasonably nice out. I scared the daylights out of a woman walking her dog. She looked like she saw a ghost when we both turned the corner on each other. The hip was feeling much better. As the run progressed I got slightly faster. I'm always much slower with such early morning runs (same when I used to try and do hard early morning cycling). I considered doing strides, but given how the body was feeling I decided to pass. The 119 bpm HR is a solid value given the pace. Hitting my stride again.



Saturday

Conditions - Partly Cloudy, Wind 6mph to 12mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 61°F + 59°F; FL - 61°F
End: Temp+Dew = 67°F + 62°F; FL - 61°F

I got to sleep a little extra, but not too much before everyone had to go about their day. So I came closer to hitting 8 hrs. The goal was a 90 min 85% run.

85% M Tempo = 8:05 min/mile
T+D Adj Goal Pace = 8:15 min/mile

I didn't have to fight for this one as much. I had three easy days since the last hard day and my body really appreciated the break. This also gave me an opportunity to test out how I feel 3-4 days after a semi-hard workout when it comes to tapering. So I kind of like how I felt, and may consider a not that hard, but hard, run on Tues/Wed of marathon race week. Just something to keep some juice in the legs without actually being challenging.

Actual Pace = 8:08 min/mile
Grade Adj Pace = 8:04 min/mile



Outside of a mile here or there it was pretty even. Pace was 8:08 and HR of 131. It was pretty much a match to the 90 min 85% run two weeks ago that was a record for HRvPace.


Sunday

Conditions - Overcast, Wind 8mph to 14mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 63°F + 61°F; FL - 64°F
End: Temp+Dew = 69°F + 67°F; FL - 64°F

It ended up being a blessing that we had to leave for G's Sunday performance at 11:30am. That forced me to get up at 5:00am to do this run. When I got up, I saw a storm on the radar that would hit around 8:50-9:10. Since I had 3 hours of running on tap that would have been hard to avoid with a later run, or a run in the heat if I pushed it till it was over. So up at 5am, and out the door at 6am. All the normal pre-run race simulation with Liquid IV upon waking and Maurten 320 about 10-15 min before run start. During the run I had the normal rotation of concentrated Tailwind, Egels, and Maurten gels.

80% M Tempo Goal Pace = 8:26 min/mile
T+D Adj Goal Pace = 8:42 min/mile





I did this on the Jack/Jill route. So I was mostly either running uphill or downhill and there were very few flat stretches of running. It took a second to wake everything up (0.5 mile start at 9:13 pace), but after that things settled in. I'd say the first 7.5 miles were just gliding with practically zero effort. Around 7.5 miles the effort went from zero to "something". That lasted until about mile 11-15 or so. Somewhere around there it went from "something" to "your legs are fatigued and you're just going to go into autopilot now". I kept my eyes on the skies and thought I might make it to the 180 min finish line in time. But alas, it wasn't mean to be. At just over 2:50 hours, the skies opened up and dumped an absolute torrential amount of rain on me. I was actually a little surprised at how much rain was coming down. The roads were flooding over really quickly and I was running on top of the water at that point. It was a little tricky, but I made it through it. The torrential part of the rainfall pretty much ended when my 3 hr run ended. All in all, I was never really challenged on the run. A definite going through the motions and accumulation of miles. If I had to, I certainly could have kept going. I ended up at 21.7 miles and 8:19 pace (8:13 GAP) with a HR of 128.

Actual Pace = 8:19 min/mile
Grade Adj Pace = 8:13 min/mile

That represents a new PR for me in terms of HRvPace. And arguably the first time I've cracked the sub-8 (T+D adj) and sub-130 bpm barrier. As I've said on multiple occasions, I feel good about my fitness when I go sub-9 and sub-130. So to go sub-8 is a whole new level for me.

I did the LIIFT4 workout afterwards but had to cut it a little short because I was running out of time in terms of getting ready for G's final performance on time.



My low HR fitness is now better than Dopey 2017 (previous peak fitness) and is closing in on matching my high HR fitness as well (it's pretty close). The prediction model now places marathon performance under ideal conditions at 3:00:29 (to match Lake 2017 and Dopey 2017), 3:07 (to match Madison 2021), and 3:15 (to match Non-Cancelled 2021). So that puts my celling/floor at 3:00-3:15 with a current PR of 3:14:05. I've got to remain healthy and maintain fitness from here. I still question my ability endurance wise to maintain the high end pacing, but these last 11 weeks will test that capability.

This week marks the end of the Specific phase, and is a little kinder on me. There's only two hard workouts. A return of the Canova Valley (going to try uncorrected for T+D again, but we'll see), and then a 100 min run at 90% M Tempo on Saturday. There is no 90 min 85% M Tempo scheduled this week. The timing of this down week is intentional, because the week of Labor day has two absolutely brutal/challenging workouts. So I need all hands on deck to be ready.

G had a great time with Frozen Jr. Sadly as soon as it begins, it ends. She's looking forward to pursuing more play performances. She has a second audition for the Christmas Carol on the main stage in the 2,300 seat theater. Fingers crossed!

 

[lookingforsunshine]

Some of the frogs were as large as a small cat (like bigger than a softball, but not the size of a volleyball).

When I did a recent long run on my Canada trip I saw a frog EAT ANOTHER FROG!!! What!!!

Work less and play more

A good message. I am sorry for your loss, and theirs.

Sadly as soon as it begins, it ends.

As a former theatre kid I know this all too well! It can be like a race— so much work and prep— and then it is suddenly over. G’s pictures are great!

 

[DopeyBadger]

When I did a recent long run on my Canada trip I saw a frog EAT ANOTHER FROG!!! What!!!

Now that's a sight to see!

As a former theatre kid I know this all too well! It can be like a race— so much work and prep— and then it is suddenly over. G’s pictures are great!

A good analogy. All was already forgotten as back to school night was last night and she reconnected with all those friends. So now she's eagerly looking forward to the return to school on Thursday.

 

[azrivest]

G is so cute

My condolences for the loss. My personal motto is similar, which is why I give myself so much in running. I don't know what's coming in the future, near or far, and I want to run all the races while I can.

 

[dis_or_dat]

So sorry to hear about the loss. That message really does make one take stock of one's life and re-evaluate priorities.

 

[FFigawi]

Sorry for the loss. Good reminder from them to make the most of life while you can.

 

[DopeyBadger]

10 Weeks to go - Canova Fundamental Phase - Week 6/6





8/29/22-9/4/22
Tues (8/30): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:29 min/mile, 124 bpm)
Wed (8/31): Canova Valley on Hills
Thurs (9/1): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:34 min/mile, 126 bpm)
Fri (9/2): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:02 min/mile, 130 bpm)
Sat (9/3): 13 miles @ 90% M Tempo on Jack/Jill (7:43 min/mile, 142 bpm) + LIIFT4-Chest/Tri
Sun (9/4): 6.5 miles @ 60-70% M Tempo (9:02 min/mile, 124 bpm) + LIIFT4-Back/Biceps

Total Run Miles - 50.6 miles
Total Run Time - 7:14 hours
Total Strength Time - 1:02 hours
Total Training Time - 8:16 hours



Tuesday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 12mph to 22mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 74°F + 59°F; FL - 74°F
End: Temp+Dew = 71°F + 59°F; FL - 74°F

On Monday I was doing a stressful procedure at work, and found myself scrunching up my right foot in my shoe unknowingly. It led to some feelings of arch pain, but thankfully it didn't really cause any issues during the runs.

I don't really remember anything about the run. Some times that's a good thing. Easy day done!



Wednesday

Conditions - Clear, Wind 11mph to 19mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 81°F + 63°F; FL - 83°F
End: Temp+Dew = 80°F + 66°F; FL - 83°F

1.5 mi WU + (3 min @ 108% MT + 6 min @ 106% MT + 9 min 104% MT + 12 min 100% MT + 9 min 104% MT + 6 min @ 106% MT + 3 min @ 108% MT) + 1.5 mi CD

108% M Tempo Pace = 6:28; T+D Adj. = 6:44
106% M Tempo Pace = 6:37; T+D Adj. = 6:53
104% M Tempo Pace = 6:45; T+D Adj. = 7:01
100% M Tempo Pace = 7:02; T+D Adj. = 7:19

Time for a second attempt at the Canova Valley workout from 4 weeks ago. I was hoping the weather would be better four weeks later. It was not. Instead it was almost exactly the same conditions. This time I wanted to be a tad slower at the start of the workout to help prevent the small fade I saw the last attempt.



Actual Paces: 6:45, 7:03, 6:50, 7:08, 7:21, 6:52, 6:42
Actual Grade Adj Paces: 6:37, 6:49, 6:55, 7:05, 7:11, 7:00, 6:35



This was still a pretty hard workout. I gave it a good go. The paces were a little slower to start. The M Tempo portion felt amazing. So so smooth. I was hopeful as the M Tempo ended that the next rep (slightly faster than M Tempo) was going to go well. Problem is that it's mostly straight uphill. It was crushing me and my spirit. Ended up with an even slower GAP. Then I got a new wind and the last two reps went better. Overall went alright, not my best, but alright. I liked how the M Tempo felt.

My left calf felt tight after the run. Felt like it tightened even more as I was writing on Strava and before the rest of the stretching. Didn't think much of it.



Thursday

Conditions - Partly Cloudy, Wind 11mph to 18mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 79°F + 67°F; FL - 80°F
End: Temp+Dew = 76°F + 67°F; FL - 80°F

Left calf felt tight through the day. Once I started running it felt like a train wreck. The calf was tight and I was getting some pain in the upper area of my calf on the outside of the leg near the knee (similar to Non-Cancelled 2021). The leg felt off for most of the run. Like it was running on not 100% power. Like things were fine, but something seemed off. Not sure what to make of it.



Friday

Conditions - Partly Cloudy, Wind 11mph to 17mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 79°F + 68°F; FL - 81°F
End: Temp+Dew = 77°F + 67°F; FL - 81°F

Felt something on the back of my left calf. Like a small divot. Guessing it is a mild calf strain. Happens when I push the pace too much on the uphill on a stressful run. Usually takes a week or so to heal. So we'll see. The pain near me knee area is likely related since these happened at the same time. The calf felt better, but still off.



Saturday

Conditions - 🌧 Light Rain, Wind 5mph to 8mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 67°F + 66°F; FL - 68°F
End: Temp+Dew = 70°F + 68°F; FL - 68°F

90% M Tempo Goal Pace = 7:44 min/mile
T+D Adj. Goal Pace = 7:58 min/mile

Wasn't sure about this one. I kind of wanted at least one more day before trying this, but at the same time I'm trying to keep Tuesday's run far away from next Sunday's run. So I decided just to see what happens. If I'm good, then ride the good. If not, then I back off. Did this on the Jack/Jill route.






Actual Pace = 7:43 min/mile
Grade Adj. Pace = 7:38 min/mile

The leg didn't feel all that bad. After about a mile or so, I didn't really have any consistent issues like I had for the last two easy runs. So I started off slowly, and then I picked the pace up on the first downhill. After that I felt like I was locked in. I was aiming for pace without adjustment like the Specific phase (starts next week) is going to be. Overall the run went well. There were a few times that the left calf twinged, but nothing too bad. The pace was strong under the conditions. I didn't even feel that stressed. According to Strava this was my hardest run of the cycle, but I don't necessarily agree. Been since Jan/Feb since I've done something like this.

The calf felt fine afterwards. I put some ice on it and wore my compression sleeves.




Sunday

Conditions - Mostly Cloudy, Wind 10mph to 15mph
Start: Temp+Dew = 59°F + 56°F; FL - 59°F
End: Temp+Dew = 61°F + 58°F; FL - 59°F

The calf didn't feel as good. Not as bad as the first easy run day, but still noticeable. But the run itself felt great since the T+D was so low (comparatively to what most have the summer has been like).

Posted in the running thread but relevant here:

Personally, I feel like the slow end pacing is at an all time best for me. But I still question my ability to maintain the faster end paces. And probably not by chance, but this is exactly what Canova states is the purpose of the last 10 weeks. He states that it is his belief that marathon runners tend to race too soon. That, like me, they'll see their fitness hit all-time highs towards the end of their training (or something similar to the Fundamental phase he has) and feel race ready. They'll race, but not be able to hit that standard they were looking for. His argument is that last 10 weeks is what is missing. The specificity phase. At this point, I'm still holding my breath I can stay healthy and also finish out the plan to the best of my ability. This month was a Top 10 volume month for me, and I put in a 9.25 hr week last week. History tells me my body doesn't like to be here, so it'll be interesting to see whether it tolerates the Canova methodology here towards the tail end of training.

Now that we're at the end of the Fundamental phase, it's time to look forward to the Specific phase. Now things ramp up in terms of difficulty. Tuesday is a Marathon Alternation run, then a week of easy running leading into the Canova 100. One hundred minutes of marathon tempo (14 miles for me). I've not done a sustained M Tempo run for this long before, so we'll see. I took the day off on Tuesday to get good weather, and Sunday is looking good right now too. Which is good, because now we're in the phase of no more T+D adjustments. Every run from here on out is either do it, or stop. No time to see if I can get my endurance to match my cardio.