Mega Training Weekend - Saturday Report

Two Canadian Girls were busy getting in the miles this weekend!  After Friday’s mediocre performance, I was hoping that Saturday would feel better.

Sarah and I set foot just after 6am with the 50k group, but had to loop back after 1hr to pick up the 15k training group.  We lead the 15k group on another beautiful and fun 1hr loop before we set out for another 3hrs to make up our 5hr training session.  It is normally harder to piece runs together like this with the stop/go, but we really enjoyed the company and pace of the first two groups and it actually broke up a long session nicely.

Sarah was running really well and I could feel my body was working a little too hard for the return I was getting and sure enough, I ended up shitting the bed around 2.5hrs, making the next 2.5hrs a run/walk game.  Sarah was awesome and I found having her in-front of me and just holding a steady pace kept me moving.  We circled back to the cars after 4hrs and despite how rough I was feeling – I knew days could feel like this in the Alps and quitting wouldn’t be an option.  So we refueled and headed back out for another hour to complete 5hrs, 5000f and 35km.  I was able to push to get it done, however my body felt it post run.  (achy knees, hips and feet)  The past 2 weekends I had run back to back 3-4hrs totalling 50 to 55k in two days and finished with energy and no aches, pains what-so-ever.  Yet, today I felt like I ran a 50k at race pace.  Ugh!  (insert time for recovery week)

Since my surgery last November, my left side has been some-what of an issue for runs over 4hrs in duration.  It is a work in progress and is improving but stands to prove it is not yet back to ‘normal.’  I did have a treatment on Friday and had my hip/back adjusted and some A.R.T. (which felt GREAT btw) but it might have been a bit too much so close to the weekend training.

Saturday was, however, a very positive day for Sarah and me.  We both know that we are not always going to feel good at the same time and that any given day we will need to lean on each other.  I am okay with feeling tired and have learned this is just something you have to stick with and get through.  Sarah was awesome and very supportive and we did ‘get through’ the ‘stage’ that day.

After a 1.5hr nap, some espresso and ice packs, I took my Mom, Grandma and son out to the movies to refuel for tomorrows run with popcorn and sour patch kids…