Seven weeks down, work has begun and Kobe's rainy season has ended. Training this week was excellent: 87km/ 54mi with a couple of really good sessions and no sign of injury.
Four days of English teacher training, last Tue through Fri, was challenging (mentally more than physically) and nice to meet new people. Our lessons are one-on-one and customized for each client, so good practice in reading people and thinking on my feet to change canned lessons for each client's interests. Anyway, we mostly teach professionals, so to get the most lessons I'll work when they don't (i.e. weekends and evenings). Weekdays, great. I can train early, rest, run errands and be in for the afternoon. To accommodate working early on the weekends, I've changed the training program again (see below) to do the long runs on Mon and Tue.
In other news, Kobe is HOT! With the rainy season over, even 6am is 90F/ 32C with 80%+ humidity and an oppressive sun. I'm taking on a lot more fluids, especially sports drink. I haven't calculated my sweat rate but the following has been working: interval runs with 750ml of sports drink and post-run at least 1.5L of water/ green tea/ electrolytes, long runs with 1.5L water in a camelback and 750ml of sports drink followed by at least 2L of water/ green tea/ electrolytes.
A strong sun is also something new (never experienced it in London). I never understood why people need sunglasses, sun block and hats/ visors, but now I get it. Mon's 3hr run started at 6.25am staring into an overbearing sun, and 30mins in I could feel it draining my reserves. Tue, glasses, visor and sun block, I felt the difference.
H&N - first week of clean diet was fine. One cheat with post-run anpan on Mon, but after 3hrs on my feet, it seemed acceptable.
62.3kg/ 137lb and 10.5% bf, weight going the right direction. I'm more focused on the trend than exact numbers. It's not likely I dropped over 1kg/ 2.2lb in a week, more likely that my body was in a different state at each weigh-in (i.e. more hydrated/ fed last week vs. this); so, I look for the trend, and it's good.
R&R - down to 7-7.5hrs sleep each night which should be enough. Not sure if it's the heat or additional mileage, but also napping 30min post run (love naps!). Less compression tights because it's too hot, so naps have been with feet in the air (drains 'old' blood from the muscles bringing fresh nutrients when you stand up) which has done the trick.
No major injuries, just niggles: left achilles and lower back seems 'fragile'. Continued stretching and a few weeks of rest post Tango should clear these up.
Thu - 75min w/ 4x 7.5min HMP, didn't start great. Three HMP intervals last week were painful. I was scared. In my normal dreading sprints mentality, 'ok, I'll take the first one easier and see how it goes.' Missing the first two intervals (not by much, but missed), I was mad, real mad, 'Weak, you'll never make 100km.' That along with some other thoughts pushed me to run the final two below pace, so in the end, all ok.
Sat - 75min w/ 20min MP, standard.
Mon - 3hrs mod, great run. Legs heavy from the beginning, but eventually settled into a good pace covering 31km with almost 700m of climbing. Funny because after 2hrs of running, I actually prefer uphill vs. downhill. Going down is tough on the feet and knees and requires more focus and core strength which are hard to find at that point. But, this week, no issues going downhill and ran them well.
Tue - 2.25hrs mod w/ 1hr MP, maybe the toughest run yet. 1hr into the run, MP began. Fine from the start but after 30min at MP I realized there was another 30mins! Needless to say, I didn't get the full hour, made 35min, mod for 20 and finished off with another mile at MP. It was a long couple of days, I was happy with the effort.
Looking forward to 8's absorb week, it brings to mind one of my favorite sayings, "everything in life is relative." I.e. after long runs of 3hrs then 2.25 w/ 40min MP, 2x 2hr runs at moderate pace seems a piece of cake. And on we go!
In other news, Kobe is HOT! With the rainy season over, even 6am is 90F/ 32C with 80%+ humidity and an oppressive sun. I'm taking on a lot more fluids, especially sports drink. I haven't calculated my sweat rate but the following has been working: interval runs with 750ml of sports drink and post-run at least 1.5L of water/ green tea/ electrolytes, long runs with 1.5L water in a camelback and 750ml of sports drink followed by at least 2L of water/ green tea/ electrolytes.
A strong sun is also something new (never experienced it in London). I never understood why people need sunglasses, sun block and hats/ visors, but now I get it. Mon's 3hr run started at 6.25am staring into an overbearing sun, and 30mins in I could feel it draining my reserves. Tue, glasses, visor and sun block, I felt the difference.
H&N - first week of clean diet was fine. One cheat with post-run anpan on Mon, but after 3hrs on my feet, it seemed acceptable.
62.3kg/ 137lb and 10.5% bf, weight going the right direction. I'm more focused on the trend than exact numbers. It's not likely I dropped over 1kg/ 2.2lb in a week, more likely that my body was in a different state at each weigh-in (i.e. more hydrated/ fed last week vs. this); so, I look for the trend, and it's good.
R&R - down to 7-7.5hrs sleep each night which should be enough. Not sure if it's the heat or additional mileage, but also napping 30min post run (love naps!). Less compression tights because it's too hot, so naps have been with feet in the air (drains 'old' blood from the muscles bringing fresh nutrients when you stand up) which has done the trick.
No major injuries, just niggles: left achilles and lower back seems 'fragile'. Continued stretching and a few weeks of rest post Tango should clear these up.
Thu - 75min w/ 4x 7.5min HMP, didn't start great. Three HMP intervals last week were painful. I was scared. In my normal dreading sprints mentality, 'ok, I'll take the first one easier and see how it goes.' Missing the first two intervals (not by much, but missed), I was mad, real mad, 'Weak, you'll never make 100km.' That along with some other thoughts pushed me to run the final two below pace, so in the end, all ok.
Sat - 75min w/ 20min MP, standard.
Mon - 3hrs mod, great run. Legs heavy from the beginning, but eventually settled into a good pace covering 31km with almost 700m of climbing. Funny because after 2hrs of running, I actually prefer uphill vs. downhill. Going down is tough on the feet and knees and requires more focus and core strength which are hard to find at that point. But, this week, no issues going downhill and ran them well.
Tue - 2.25hrs mod w/ 1hr MP, maybe the toughest run yet. 1hr into the run, MP began. Fine from the start but after 30min at MP I realized there was another 30mins! Needless to say, I didn't get the full hour, made 35min, mod for 20 and finished off with another mile at MP. It was a long couple of days, I was happy with the effort.
Looking forward to 8's absorb week, it brings to mind one of my favorite sayings, "everything in life is relative." I.e. after long runs of 3hrs then 2.25 w/ 40min MP, 2x 2hr runs at moderate pace seems a piece of cake. And on we go!
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