Week 6
Planned: 8:40 total hours (1:30 swim, 2:30 bike, 3:20 run, 1:20 brick)
Completed: 9:12 hours (1:26 swim, 2:47 bike, 3:41 run, 1:18 brick)
Yes, I am aware that I've done a complete 180 on my Zone 2 outlook. I can justify this in 2 ways. First off, I've decided that there's no way my AT dropped 6 points, and so I'm adjusting my numbers. I'm splitting the difference and dropping it 3 points - and that 3 points makes all the difference. I just can't handle running below 140 bpm. Or at least, I can't handle how slow my pace is when I do.
It's funny, though, today's long run was a big experiment in running at different heart rates. My first half I stayed with friends whose pace is a little slower than mine. My heart rate was way low Zone 2 - even Zone 1 for big parts, and I could've gone FOREVER. I was chatting, telling stories, like a walk in the park. Then, on the way back, I ran on my own and pushed up to the top of Zone 2 - the top of my new, re-re-adjusted Zone 2. Now, I still could've gone for a long, lone time. But it was definitely different - my breathing was different, and I actually felt like I was putting out an effort. But I do think (hope, fingers crossed) that it was still Zone 2. I think the difference between the first half and the second was the difference between a recovery run and a Zone 2 run.
The great thing was that my 12 miles felt like a piece of cake. That's why I suddenly love Zone 2. I love feeling like 12 miles is no big thing. I love the idea of going into Eagleman thinking that finishing with a half marathon is not a big deal. That if I can find that sweet spot I can go forever. And from what I've heard, even my slightly-sub-10-minute pace sweet spot will have me cruising by people who are just demolished after the bike. That is a big confidence builder - feeling like I've got the run in the bag.
Other than today's big epiphany, the week was kind of interesting. It was like being back in high school, taking AP Engish, AP Chem and AP Calculus, and having 3 huge tests in 1 week because the teachers don't talk to each other. My computrainer teacher had us do a 1 hour Zone 4 / Zone 5 effort on Wednesday. Would've been fine to do a recovery/tempo run on Thursday and flush some of that lactic acid out of my legs, but my run “coach” had us doing track instead of tempo - so the lactic acid stayed. Then my swim coach had us do a 1000 yard time trial on Friday. And I'm thinking that finally, finally I'll get to flush out that lactic acid Friday in my guaranteed Zone 2 computrainer, but it's the last class so we have to do a 10 mile time trial instead. Needless to say, I didn't kill that one.
But you know what - my brick was fine, my run today was fine, and I'm just totally amazed that I'm going to be averaging 9+ hours of training per week this block and I'm feeling fine! Going into this training plan, the amount of training each week was really intimidating. I've never trained this much in my life, and it really seemed so overwhelming. It is a lot of time, in the sense that I notice how much more of my life is devoted to working out, but my body doesn't feel as totally depleted as I thought it would. Amazing. And - long time coming - I'm finally starting to feel like I'm dropping those off-season pounds and getting back to my training body. Why the f#&% it took 6 weeks I have no idea, but I'm darn glad it's happening.