It's not over until you spend 12 hours in bed

So, this week was more challenging for a number of reasons. First, while the total mileage was about the same, I had 3 days of doubles rather than 2, and my quality sessions were spaced differently. Secondly, life things (D visiting and a party) took some time and energy away from my usual training focus. Anyway, here is what I had for a week:

M: 5 easy
T: 6x1k at 3:30-3:35
W: 7 miles am/ 6 miles pm
Th: 8 mile tempo (4 miles starting at 6:50, working down to 6:00) am/ 4 miles PM
F: 8 miles am/ 6 miles pm
Sa: 5 miles
Su: 20 miles, with 3x1 mile at 6:15 after 6 miles warmup**

** Sunday was supposed to have a second set of 3x1 mile at fast, but didn't, because my legs were totally beaten into the ground by that point. But I'm getting ahead of myself.

Tuesday's workout was fun; everyone else on the team ran way faster than they said they would and I actually held my pace (3:33 was my average for my 1ks). Wednesday felt fairly easy, since all the mileage was easy.

I awoke Thursday to some very icy roads, which meant my tempo run was dreadmill-bound. I ended really fast (most of the last mile was at 6:00 pace), which, in combination with the Sahara setting of the gym's thermostat, meant the man on the elliptical next to my treadmill winced every time I took a stride, either afraid I was going to break the machine due to force or sheer sweat, or that he would catch a bit of seemingly extraneous sweat pouring off me. I say "seemingly extraneous" because, clearly, every drop of sweat was quite necessary to keep my body exerting that much effort in 75-degree temperatures. Note for all Hounds: the new jerseys are awesome and light, even when soaked in sweat! Thursday night, I caught a quick and easy run with A, in some really nice weather, just before having about a dozen ladies over for chocolate and Cards Against Humanity.

By Friday, the volume and intensity of this week had caught up to me. I awoke at 6, was ditched by my running buddy for the morning, and decided to take the opportunity to sleep in. By 8, I decided to get up and eat something. However, I was so tired and knew my 3rd day of doubles started once I got up, I stayed in bed and worked until 12. TWELVE! I don't think I've ever been in bed that late, other than when I've been sick. My legs felt like they were made of wet mud: such was their heaviness and unwillingness to move. So, I didn't run my first run until about 1. I finished around 2, feeling a little better but still really fatigued. L dragged my butt out the door for the second run, where I actually felt surprisingly better than during the first one.

Sunday morning, after some party-hardy with D and friends, L and I found snow covering the ground. So, we decided to drive out to North Park and do our 20 there. S met us there after our initial 5 miles. The brutal wind and the snow was enough to make the first 5 mile loop mentally challenging and the next miles as tough physically. I did the first 3x1 mile at approximately 6:15 pace, though the wicked wind and the mild incline on the first two actually made them a bit closer to 6:20 or 6:22. Thank you, S, for dragging my sorry butt through those! We then proceeded at roughly 7:30 pace for the remainder of the run. I tried to do the last mile up-pace, which meant it was a 6:50... my legs were totally shot. I guess I'm not used to running this much mileage, this much intensity, or I'm in crazy bad shape. Both this week and last I was beat all to hell by my 20 milers. I'll keep an eye on it, I guess...

Anyway, I was pretty beat up by the first part of the week, though 2/3 of the quality sessions were great. Hopefully my body will keep up: this week I have a similar amount of quality and quantity in my mileage.

Thanks, everyone, who dragged my butt through all these workouts!