Post M2M runs

I would like to say that after M2M I hit the training program at full speed but that wouldn't be accurate.

Sunday (6/15)
I ran the day after but only a mile after I rode my bike up to Lebanon Hills (~6 miles), my knees and quads were too tender, so I decided that a mile was enough pain. The good news was 12+ miles on the bike with no pain.

Monday and Tuesday (6/16 - 6/17)
Off on Monday to heal a bit then on Tuesday a soccer game in Rochester so I skipped another day.

Wednesday (6/18)
The girls were going to MOA so I decided to run on the way home from work and as murphy would have it, I got out of work late so I decided to hit Hyland. I can get there from work in around 10 minutes so it's a great place to run in the morning before work or on the way home if I get out late to avoid rush hour. I always park in the lot by the ski jump and then cut through across the train tracks to enter the park. After I got to Hyland there was a group of runners getting ready to go so being my normal anti-social self, I allowed them to get going thinking most would take off around the lake but they all headed into the park so I stalled a bit longer. (You can see how I avoid groups, yet I do love to talk running just not into groups). As I headed into the park, I wanted to run my normal 6 mile loop but they have been working in the park and have blocked off part of the loop. So I have been doing an out and back. I was hoping to feel good and have a quality run. No such luck, the legs felt dead and it was a bit warmer so not a good run but maybe it would help me get heat acclimated.

Thursday thru Saturday off (6/18-6/21)
I took Thursday off to allow an extra day to recover and get the legs back with the plan of running on Friday before we left town for a soccer tournament in Stevens Point. Good idea, poor implementation. I let work issues interfere and just made it home in time on Friday to leave for Stevens Point. Saturday, the girls had three games, we talked about getting a run in between games but I didn't push it, I am sure if I had Karyn would have been up for it. Where is my motivation?

Sunday (6/22)
The team lost it's Sunday morning game so no championship game, for the weekend they won 2 - lost 2. The loss allowed us to get home earlier so I decided to get in a longish run upon our return around 2:30. I got something to eat, filled up the electrolyte bottles and drove up to Lebanon with the idea of getting in 15 miles (~3 hours). Again, good idea, poor implementation. I was not right from the start, a bit light headed and not a lot of energy. I plodded through a couple of hours and then aborted. I did try to walk it off midway through but still nothing, I kept saying to myself take your time, recover, if you ever go longer than a 50k you will have bad spells and you will need to work your way through it. I just didn't feel right so I said to myself I will save the self motivation for a 50 no need to waste a good self talk session. Hopefully next week will be a better mental and physical week and it's nothing more than dead legs from the marathon or the stress of work/life balance or maybe it's adjusting to running in 70 degree weather.

Miles for the week 16 - ouch......

This week (6/23-6/29)
Time to get a good week of running in and hit Afton mentally ready. After all my goal is to make the cutoff not break 6 hours so if I simply get some quality runs in this week I will be set. The only thing that really worries me about Afton is the number of runners who will pass me before I get to the second loop. Oh well, it will probably be more their problem than mine as I will probably not even see them coming until they go by.

Mileage goal for this week - 35
Monday - 5 easy
Tuesday - off
Wednesday - 5 at 10k pace with accelerations
Thursday - 5 easy
Friday - off
Saturday - 15 easy on trails
Sunday - 5 easy

Not a hard week, I want my legs to feel fresher for Afton. Good plan, implementation??????

A different motivation plan - post it, check it, do it..................