1.22.2013

A Weekend Streak

Remember how I talked about falling at the last trail race I did? Well, not only did I look silly, but unbeknownst to me at the time, I got a nasty case of poison oak. So the last few weeks at work (and in life!) were torture. I couldn't wear pants, although I had to, so I was literally sitting on the edge of my chair so that nothing itchy would be touching it. Then I would get home and all I would want to do was take off my pants and stand somewhere without touching anything.

However, I am on a training schedule. For the first week, I endured it. For the second week, I almost punched somebody or scratched my own leg off, but I muscled through. However, the third week, which was last week, I decided to take a few days off. After a long run on Sunday, I did not run Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday or Thursday. Maybe that doesn't seem like a big deal to some, but running is my crack and without my crack, I am whack. 

So on Friday when I was finally not quite as itchy as before, I did a 9 mile speed workout to make up for the days I had missed. On Saturday, when a friend asked if I would run her long run with her, I said sure. It was 20 miles. I was pretty sore by the end of it. Then on Sunday, I ran a few miles with a different friend in order to get in my 36 miles for the week.

Let me tell you, there is a reason you are supposed to take recovery days after a long run.

Monday I was off and I could not waste a beautiful day off by not running, especially when my other runs would have to be done at night, so I ran again. This was a great run, a slow ramble through the forest, with no destination or set mileage in mind. It was sunny and about 50 degrees and I couldn't have asked for a nicer day or a better run.

This training cycle I am currently on calls for 6 days of running a week. SIX. Usually I am a fan of schedules and planning and of things being a certain way and of knowing what that way is going to be. However, this time, I am just running. I am making my own schedule. I am running three or four days a week. I am cramming two days miles into one. If I am putting on my running gear, I am going for it.

Yes, I am still doing a long run and I will most likely get in a hill or a speed workout each week, but other than that, I am enjoying running with friends, and running on the days where it works for me. Sure, sometimes this means running 9 mile and upward runs four days in a row, which isn't the best idea, but it's good. It is testing different boundaries and teaching me (yet again) new things about myself.

It's teaching me things like: running for a long time or many days in a row is good practice for an Ultra. Specifically, the Oholone 50k, which I just signed up for.  Yikes.

Have you ever had poison oak? Do you follow your training schedule to a T? Have you ever had to cram all your mileage into less days?

15 comments:

  1. I Only tend to run four days a week, not really by choice, but it seems to work out pretty good and I find it works better for me if I don't cram too much mileage into those days.

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  2. Hope the poison oak is all cleared out, that is definitely miserable! Another 50K, exciting! I've crammed in mileage before and sometimes it worked but I think that method created some problems for me last year too! :)

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  3. oh wow, poison oak sounds AWFUL. I have never had it but my one nephew has gotten poison ivy multiple times and yikes it looked awful. He gets it to bad, he gets blisters from it, I think because he has been exposed multiple times now?

    I am glad you are back on track, though! I totally could not run 6 days a week. Mentally it wouldn't work for me, and physically it wouldn't either. The max I will run is 4 days a week. I am just not hard core enough to do more than that, and my body seems to handle lower mileage better!

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  4. Oh no that sounds like it sucks!! I used to be the one at softball practice that they would send into the bushes because I never got anything. No thanks!

    My training plan has me running 4 days a week...two easy runs, speed work, and a long run. 6 days is a lot!!

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  5. Poison oak sounds just plain awful. I'm a terrible patient, so poor Sweets would take a verbal beating from me if I ever got it. (Hey, at least I know my weaknesses!)

    Right now, I'm actually following a schedule (I won't call it a training schedule, because it's really just to get me back into running). I'm following it without straying, because I need it to feel comfortable with running again. When I was training for endurance races, I'd follow a training schedule. And if I missed days, I just missed them; I never tried to cram multiple day's of mileage into one.

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  6. I'm glad to hear that some of the itchiness has finally abated. I haven't had poison ivy or poison oak since I was a kid, and I'm hoping to keep it that way.

    I'm following a schedule that calls for 4 days of running a week right now. My level of conditioning is definitely not currently ready for six running workouts each week.

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  7. Wow, I didn't realize poison oak lasted that long. I hope you are on the mend:) Very impressive running while itchy:)

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  8. ugh, poison oak sucks! We get poison ivy a lot down here. I try to avoid it, but can't always do that.

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  9. Yikes!

    I've never had poison oak, but I fell into some stinging nettle once and it was miserable!

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  10. Omg, worst stuff ever! I can't imagine having it where you wouldn't be able to sit down! I had some on the palms of my hands (from yanking some old vines out of a tree) over Christmas break and I really almost just gnawed my hands off. That stuff lasts forever!

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  11. I've never had poison oak. It sounds like I really really don't want to.....

    I'm pretty anal about following training plans to a T. But I also have to, or it won't get done. I'm amazed at you folks who can just go knock out a 20-miler!

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  12. I'm glad the poison oak cleared up! That stuff sucks pretty terribly.

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  13. Wow, a trail 50k - go Kyria, go! I am looking forward to not following much of a plan these next few months. I love the flexibility to do what I want!

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  14. Good luck with your 50K! Poison oak or poison ivy is terrible. Glad you are doing better.

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  15. Wow poison oak, that totally sucks. Glad it seems better.

    It seems like your training plan is working for you, so that's awesome. I love that you just busted out a 20 miler with your friend. Awesome!

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