Cloudland Canyon 50k Training (Week 1 of 14)

Week beginning thoughts: Oh yes, here we go! Since I'm not really following a plan, I'm basically going to lay out my intentions at the beginning of each week and see where things go from there. I'm also going to do a 3-week tune-up for the 5k on Saturday 8/24. Something short-term to focus on, but also keeping the long-term goal in view.

Week 1:
- 30 mpw
- 10 mi long run (plan for Sunday 8/11)
- Tuesday track workout
- run or trainer ride Weds/Thurs
- Monday strength
- Saturday mountain bike ride (out of town with Scott)

Monday
Plan: strength
Did: 53 minute strength workout
Did some side lunges (those will hurt tomorrow) since some plans I looked at suggested lunges and leg strength/agility stuff would be good for long trail runs. I know I need to work on calf/ankle strength and stability for the uneven ground, too. And core strength... oh the core strength. Good workout today, though.

Tuesday
Plan: speedwork
2 x mile @ 10k pace (7:35) w/ 2 mins recovery,
2 x 1k @ 5k pace (7:10/mi = 4:30) w/ 2 mins recovery, 2 x 600 @ 3k pace (6:57/mi = 2:36) w/ 75-90s recovery, 1 x 400 hard

Did: as planned, 8.31 mi @ 8:15/mi avg
This went exactly as I'd planned out, and I'm so so pleased with that! Met up with my track buddy, Matt, for our usual routine but I knew I had a little extra time due to working from home today (yay!). Here's how the speed splits worked out...
2x mile (target = 7:35) - 7:19, 7:39
2x 1k (target = 4:30) - 4:24, 4:34
2x 600m (target = 2:36) - 2:30, 2:27
400m - 1:28
This was a tough workout but I loved the progression and the not-full-lap distances which made it easier to play mind games with myself.

Becoming my Tuesday a.m. home base

Wednesday

Planned: run or bike trainer

Did: rest
Alarm didn't go off (or I slept through it) for an early ride on the trainer, brought my clothes to ride the stationary bike at work and never made it down to the gym. But I did get my 10k steps in with ~45 mins on the treadmill desk, so at least there's that.

Thursday

Planned: run or bike trainer

Did: 4.68 mi trail run
Work trails - did the reverse course of what I have been running lately. It was pretty hot out but kept a 9min/mi pace. Legs were still sore from Monday's lateral lunges (oof) so I actually took the time to stretch after I ran.

Friday

Planned: Friday Five

Did: 5.02 mi @ 8:44/mi
Downtown group didn't run this morning so I slept in a little and ran from the house (we're working from home today). Did a backwards loop through Green Valley - the hills were challenging as always, but not too bad. 

Saturday

Planned: mountain bike in Knoxville

Did: 12.2 mi mountain biking
Scott & I had an overnight trip to Knoxville for a little getaway, and we enjoyed the Knoxville Urban Wilderness - a series of parks & trails connected by a ~12 mile trail loop through downtown Knoxville which was a lot of fun.

Cool bamboo tunnels

Bridge jump!

Wooden platform trails

Wheeeee

All done!

Sunday

Planned: 10 mile trail run

Did: 10.12 mi trail run
Woo hoo, double-digit trail run!! I wasn't positive how this would go, and my legs were definitely tired, but I felt pretty great with the end result and only had to walk a couple of times.

North Lake

Week ending thoughts:

Missed my trainer ride mid-week and only hit just over 28 miles for the week... but still feeling pretty good about Week 1.