While the taper weeks are designed for recovery and resting - it still feels uncomfortable to become sick. It was in the air already, all three of my girls were sick earlier and that got up to me. Asides from the psycial aspect, I also got a big mental dip due an unrelated event that triggered old pain. Safe to say that it was a difficult week, but I am still here and I am feeling much better (both physically aswell as mentally).
With just 2 weeks to go before my race I returned with a short recovery run today. My goal was simple - to stay in low heartrate <142 bpm and feel if I was indeed getting better again! The run felt easy, my heartrate stayed comfortable and the legs felt fresh.
In order to keep myself from pushing to early, I decided to skip the strides for today (and save the tempo elements for tomorrow), next to that I dressed myself with multiple layers. Overall it felt good!
This is also what the taper weeks are all about, allowing the body to recover. While this trainingsblock was already a little short, I did provide some quality work - so the few days I didn’t run last week won’t do any harm! It will be alright!
Looking forward I am working on my race day pacing plan. Whereas I normally prefer to do a KISS (keep it simple stupid) strategy and run at constant pace, Spijkenisse is know for long open roads with a lot of strong wind in the opening phase. Sticking to 4:15 / km in headwind early would most likely get back at me at the final kilometers.
(Source; https://afstandmeten.nl/index.php?id=3225725 )
Most likely I will try to scout the first part of the marathon next week and determine if I will stick to KISS-strategy or adapt to a more flexible strategy (headwind 4:15 - 4:20), tailwind (4:10 - 4:15), (side wind 4:15). If I can find the time I also hope to run the last 10km 2 maybe 3 times before the race - as I can then just autopilot it during the race!
Fun week ahead!
Happy running
Thank you!!
Nicely done on the recovery run. Sorry to hear about the old pain coming to haunt from the past, they happen every now and again. To that I can more than attest! The important things is you didn't let it affect your preparation! Great job!
I hope the kids are feeling better and with any luck you didn't pick up the virus too!
I wish I could keep my heart rate under 140 working out, but I have had issues since the COVID vaccine that have left me fighting my heart rate on a daily basis just trying to keep it down while resting. The highest I like to see it is around 140 while walking! But I am about twenty years ahead of you in the age scale and beat my body up in the military! lol
Great job! You'll rock that marathon!
Thanks my friend!
Yeah, I didn't expect that dip to occur yet but it did, still feeling like 40% of the intensity and that still hurts but so much more manageble than during the last week. Like you say I have this haunting me about every year/two years for the last 20 years.
(Working on a structural solution and a safety net to break that spiral earlier - so it will be alright!)
While my oldest is still sick, my wife and youngest seem to be all good again! For me the sickness seems to be a common cold. Which will be long gone at the race!
On the vaccine, I experienced something similar after my second shot aswell, it lasted until I actually got COVID and recovered from it. Strange stuff!
Does that higher heartrate translate for you into getting tired earlier? Or in simply burning more calories with lower intensity?
!PIZZA
No, it gave me a pulmonary embolism and since then I've never been the same. I wish I would have passed on that vaccine but couldn't due to my profession at the time, but it was life changing in a very bad way. My heart rate has been a problem since the embolism sadly and the more active I am the more of a problem it becomes...
That is crazy! Sorry to hear that man!
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Thank you!
Old pains, sorry for that but at least you feel better now, the run is soon that should keep you busy!
$PIZZA slices delivered:
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Come get MOONed!