Week 5 Key Run #2

Well because of my IT band issues, I took 2 days off this week. I actually didn't really mean to. I meant to do yoga on Wednesday and biking on Thursday but I did neither. I mostly slept.

Anyway by Friday I had yet to decide how I was tweaking my training plan for Kaiser, so I just ran two laps around the lake (5.9 miles). One of my training plan options had been 5 miles at tempo, while the other was 7 miles with the middle 3 at tempo. I went somewhere in the middle, attempting to do the middle 5 of 6 miles at tempo. I definitely did not hold this pace (9'22"-9'37"), but I did manage to complete the entire run at a pace of 9'45", which is not too shabby.

However, I am starting to freak out that I won't be able to PR at Kaiser. That means holding faster than a 9'30" pace for an entire 13.1 miles. However, I always forget how great the power of adrenaline is. On the other hand, I've never really had a PR goal in another race, so I am usually completely unstressed, which I'm sure helps. That's how I managed to run 2h06m in Tempe without really trying. So I should probably just let go and see what happens.

Of course I looked at last year's training plan - mostly to see what I could do for taper, but then I looked back at the season. Gosh my speedwork sessions were much tougher last year. Which brings up my concern for the PR. However I am not sure that the tempo runs and long runs were at as fast paces, so maybe it all evens out. Guess we will find out!

I had bodywork last night, and she tried to separate my IT band from the vastus lateralus muscles. Also taped up those muscles with bright pink kinesio tape, so I'm looking good. Can't wait to try it out on the long run tomorrow. Which I'm thinking maybe just 8 miles. But then maybe I should do 10. Or 12...