Week 13

Chapter Meadows, Worcester

Recovery week over. It went ok but I've picked up a (hopefully) minor injury. Feels like shin splints on my right leg. Probably from tight calves caused by the tempo runs. Been icing, rolling, stretching. The usual. It seems to get better and then come back. I ran as normal, 40 miles but very easy. I'd like to avoid multiple days off but that may be needed to rest it. I'm getting fairly worried about it though. I think today I'll get my bike set up on the trainer in the garage and substitute it for the running to give my body a break from impact. I don't want to but it's better than no exercise mentally. I was super motivated going into the next 8 weeks to hit my high mileage targets but hesitant injured. Yeah, it might go away with easy running, but it could just get worse.  

Severn Way downstream of Worcester

Got some new shoes. My road shoes hit over 500 miles and were in dire need of retirement and I needed to commit to a pair of trail shoes for WS100. I replaced my road shoes with the same Altra Torin, super cushioned and comfortable. I'd like to blame my injury on old shoes but the reality is shoes don't cause injuries. 

Altra Torin 2.5

I had been going back and forth on trail shoes since I'd likely be running WS100 in them. I had been happy with Inov8 Trail Talons but had such good luck with the Altra fit and huge toe box I wanted to try either the Superior or Lone Peak. The Superior has a "normal" amount of cushioning very similar to the Brooks Grit I had been running and racing in since my first 100 at Superior. Brooks changed the fit on them and it kind of put me off, too narrow. When I ordered the Torin road shoe I also got a Lone Peak. I liked the fit, adequate traction, and they had been getting good reviews on drainage. They have a bit more cushioning than normal making them a bit heavier, so weight is maybe the only downside and the only reason I considered Inov8 Trail Talon or Altra Superior.

Altra Lone Peak 3.0

I took the Altra Lone Peak trail shoes out during my lunch break on Saturday and they were great! I ran out the Severn Way, hit some mud and single track. The sun was out, it was hot, and I even got to work on my tan which is uncommon here. I could've ran all day! Looks like I found my new trail shoe!  

Lone Peak test run

My next training phase is suppose to be a couple more weeks of tempo workouts with the addition of more mileage, preferably 50 - 60 mile weeks. All that means is adding longer long runs on the weekends and during the week hit 8-10. I may skip the tempo running and just jump into higher easy or steady paced miles due to this injury. In the past I've never done speed work, just longer miles, and on the minimal end of that. Usually I'd shoot for 50 mile weeks with life always getting in the way. I'd finish 100 milers but I'd be pretty beat up and suffer hard the last 25 miles. In a perfect world I'd prefer 60 - 70 mile weeks. I think this is a nice sweet spot having a family and limited time. The fast people run 100 mile weeks to put it in perspective. 

Running on low miles I've done great adding in the speed work early which is very stressful on the body (hence the injury: stress). Ideally if within the final 6 weeks before tapering if I can hit 9 hours of running per week I should be set for a "comfortable" finish. 

I guess now looking at the weeks left now IS a good time to take a week super easy and get injury free. I'll still have three weeks to build for Malvern Hills 50 and the big miles. It's easy to get hung up on the numbers/weekly mileage goal and I need to remind myself that I won't lose any fitness taking 5 days off. So, in mulling over that it may be a low running miles week, maybe some bike trainer time, and possibly some mountain bike night riding...... 

On we go.