Dopey Training Week 0 of 18

Week 0 is my last week of just building mileage before diving into a more structured Dopey Training Plan. The highlight of this week was the Badgerland Striders 22-mile marathon buildup run.  I referred to this run as coping practice, relearning what it feels like to be out on the course for 4 hours and coping with aches, pains, cramps, and fatigue that build exponentially in the late miles.  It’s also a chance to practice fueling and hydration logistics, which I discuss in another post.

Here is how my actual milage compared to the plan for the week of August 28:

 

Week 0

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thurs

Fri

Sat

Sun

Total

Plan

5

6

Rest

5

Rest

22

Rest

38

Actual

5.6

6.4

Strength

4.2

Rest

22.2

Rest

38.4

 

I kept my HR in zone 2 (<=130 BPM) for most of the shorter runs, breaching zone 3 for short periods going uphill or toward the end of the run.  It took me 4 hours to complete the 22-miler, about a 10:50 per mile average, with the first 5 closer to 10-minute average and the last 5 closer to 12-minute average.  I kept my heart rate mostly in zone 2 for the first 2 hours, crept into zone 3 in the third hour, and had to walk frequently in the fourth hour because I breached zone 4 (>140 BPM).  This was my longest run in 3 years, so I was pleased to have completed it in 4 hours.

 

Hip discomfort was not a problem in any of these runs. I was frequently monitoring my left knee and adjusting my stride if I felt any twinge of pain.  I made it through the week without an irregular heart rate episode. Recovery after the 22-miler was hard. All my leg muscles were sore and tight for the rest of the day.  The day after, my legs in general felt okay but both knees were sore, with severe pain in my right knee developing throughout the day.  Two days after the knee pain was less severe, but I was feeling DOMS (Delayed Onset Muscle Soreness) in my legs.  

 

I think the soreness I am feeling is all normal and expected after my longest run in three years.  The next two weeks are intentionally scaled back to allow recovery before starting the real Dopey buildup.

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