Dopey Training Week 16 of 18

Week 16 was a recovery and taper week after my third and final Dopey Simulation in week 15.  Like week 14, I was feeling the effects of the 45 miles in week 15.  But I was able to approach week 16 with optimism because I knew I was over the hump.  The hardest part would be maintaining focus through the holidays and staying healthy.

Here is how my actual mileage compared to the plan for the week starting December 18:

Week 16	Mon	Tue	Wed	Thurs	Fri	Sat	Sun	Total
Plan	Rest	5	Rest	4	Rest	12	Rest	21
Actual	Rest	5.5	Strength	4.5	12.3	Rest	Strength	22.3

I covered 22.3 miles at an average pace of 10:26 /mile, right on target for a typical recovery week. I had some latent soreness from the previous week’s Dopey Simulation, but I felt like I had less fatigue than in the previous recovery week. I was also able to get two strength training sessions in, which is important after a week with no strength training.

 

The plan called for 12 miles on Saturday, but holiday plans made 12 miles on Saturday very inconvenient, so I moved it up to Friday.  In the end, that was fortunate because Saturday morning was misty and foggy, not all that pleasant for a long run.

 

Here’s a video from week 16:

I feel like I’ve recovered well from the last Dopey Simulation.  12 miles on Friday did not take that much out of me.  Just one more week of taper with only 15 miles total.  That hardest part will be maintaining healthy habits through back-to-back long holiday weekends then immediately hopping on a plane to Orlando.