Marathon Training Week 15

My training plan for the week was cross-train, run 5, 8, and 5 miles, rest, 5 mile pace run, and 20 mile long run.

Yeeeeeeeah. Didn't happen. My ankle decided that 15 weeks of marathon training was too much and started acting up again. Bad, ankle, bad.

Sunday – Rest day. Still in DC. Didn't have access to a gym and didn't want to go for a walk.

Monday – 5.2 mile run on the treadmill. I didn't have any desire to repeat last Saturday's run. Scenic, yes, and intentionally slower than usual, but I still ended up dehydrated afterwards. Badly. I got through it, but that queasy dehydrated feeling is something I'd rather avoid. By the time I got back to Rhode Island, it was warm and humid. Riiiiiight. I wasn't running outside if I didn't have to. Did upper body exercises and squats at the gym.

Tuesday – 7.7 mile run. Had to cut it short because my ankle started hurting. It was not an achy pain that goes away quickly. It was a pain I knew I couldn't run through. Bah.

Wednesday – Rest day. Ankle still wasn't cooperating. Best to not push it at this point.

Thursday – Rest day, sort of. Didn't run but did pushups, planks, lower back, and abs.

Friday – 5 mile run. Opted for the treadmill instead of outside in case I had to stop. While my ankle still hurt, it wasn't too bad and it is getting better. The pain almost entirely went away 4 miles in. Good signs. Crossing my fingers that I have nipped this in the bud with more rest, cross training, and stretching. I also think it was not properly Body Gliding my foot before the 8 mile run (which I always do but didn't on that day) and forgetting to do my usual foot/ankle/lower leg stretches. On Tuesday, I saw the Chicago Marathon and 15 weeks of training slipping away, but today's run put the marathon back on the map. I am cautiously optimistic that I will be OK by then.

Saturday - Made myself a 3-hour duathalon at the gym. I figured it would take me around 3 hours or just under 3 hours to run 20 miles. So I broke it into three 1-hour chunks. 7 miles on the treadmill, then 1 hour on a stationary bike, then another 7 (and .2) miles on the treadmill. I somehow managed to pick 2 machines without working TVs, but I had fun listening to my iPod and reading a magazine. If my ankle acted up at any time, I could stop or switch to another machine. That silly ankle behaved!! Minimal pain in the first 5 miles and then nothing after that. Nothing. Hallelujah. I even got the very last 2 miles down to marathon goal pace. I'm still proceeding cautiously and will make some adjustments to my training schedule for next week, but this a promising sign.

Welcome to taper. Now I just have to stay healthy and keep this ankle thing under control for the next 3 weeks.

Total Miles: Scheduled – 43 Actual – 32.1