Training Week Ending 3/18/12: More time on feet

Week     Planned          Actual         Long   Long       Hiking       Time
Ends  Hours  Long  Hours  Climb   Time  Climb  Time  Climb On Feet
 3/18    5:24    1:26    5:34    2520    1:53    1200    9:18  5220   14:52

The story this week was time on feet moving. My running time was right on schedule at about 5.5 hours for the week, but my hiking time skyrocketed to almost 10 hours. Most of the additional hiking time came on run-hike outings, which are lots of fun and make total sense as additional training, but because they're a hybrid of two sports with somewhat different approaches, most people don't think of doing these, or just don't have time.

The difference between my average running effort and average hiking effort is probably about 20 heart beats per minute, with my hiking ranging about 115-125 HR, and running ranging 135-145. The lower effort range of hiking also should build base endurance and strength and stamina up hills, which is similar whether hiking or running. This week hiking I got in an extra mile of vertical climb and 10 hours of low range aerobic exercise.

12-Mar  hike    1:08    560    2        stony brook
              run    0:33    60    2.5        stony brook

This was a recovery day after a 2:17 run/1:12 hike, so I wanted to start out easy, and hiked up to pine meadow lake via red-white-black trails. Doing more hiking really just adds to the endurance base and allows for less stress on the legs, providing active recovery from the pounding of running and the muscle damage from the harder efforts. I enjoyed the run down from the lake and felt really warmed up from 68 minutes of easy hiking. I wore the minimalist New Balance MT20s on this one, because I would be easy hiking most of the time.

13-Mar  run    1:31    300    3.5        stony brook
              hike    0:47    500    2.5        stony brook

I explored the south side of the lake and had a nice run on the unmarked connector trail there. After exploring the old homestead there a little and checking out some camping spots along the lake, my strand of trail dead-ended in a dense patch of mountain laurel, and I didn't feel like going all the way back around to find the real thread of the connector trail. It really reminded me of my orienteering days as I headed for the corner where the trail would pass right next to the crest in the lake. I scoped the laurel for the best way through, finding strands of deer trails and generally heading higher up on the slope to the lake where there was more ledge. Followed the ledge back south until it ran smack into the connector trail, passing along a swamp on the other side. From there I pretty much ran all the way back, feeling good. I was back to the Montrail mountain masochists for this run, my feet and ankles needing a little rest after a lot of time on my feet.

14-Mar  hike    1:25    1400    3.5        overlook

We hiked up Overlook mountain in Woodstock NY. This is where I come sometimes to do big hill repeats. The most repeats up and down I've ever done is 4, but once also with a side trip over to the base of Indian Head Mountain. When we do laps for training, for me it's usually about 36 minutes if power hiking up, or 30-33 if running up, not much difference because of the steep grade. But this time we went really slow and I enjoyed doing it that way also. Probably will be back up here for some repeats later in the spring.

I wore my new Pair of Treksta evolutions for this hike. My last pair of these lasted less than 6 months getting beaten up on tough trails, but they were so comfortable and gave excellent feel and control on the technical trails that I didn't hesitate to buy another pair. This is the shoe I would wear on any really long hike or really long trail run right now.

15-Mar  run    0:56    660    8        ram park, hard effort

Apparent good recovery and improving fitness and no running the day before put a spark in my legs. When you feel like you really want to run, that's the perfect time to go fast. Sure if you're training that's also when you should do your harder efforts, but a training mentality can also make you do harder efforts when you shouldn't, and I've been guilty of that in the past also.

But now I'm trying to optimize my recovery from long runs, and only do the next one when I've recovered and improved my fitness from the last long run. I want to do the long run right on the apex of the wave of super-compensation, and with that run, do some more damage and stress to bodily systems that will create the next wave of super-compensation, at least that's the over-simplified idea.

This day it had nothing to do long run endurance, it was about feeling good and running faster. I wore the Nike skylons out on the trail for the first time in a while, and those shoes are a part of why I wanted to run fast. Skylons are lightweight trainers/racers for up to marathon distance, and they have a great feel and response for faster running. But for trail running they lack feel and control on technical terrain, and that stresses your achillies, ankles and feet more than shoes designed for trails. Ben Nephew did at least once wear skylons to a win on the Escarpment trail, so their tradeoff of being slower on technical stuff is largely made up for by their speed on easier stuff, if they don't injure you.

16-Mar  hike    0:20    200    2.5        stony brook
              run    1:53    1200    3   135     stony brook

I got out later in the day than usual, and started out by hiking to warm up. After I got going it turned out to be a great late afternoon run, with misty slightly raw air at 50 degrees, but much less raw than it would be at 40 degrees or under. I did a really simple route that I may start to run regularly: out southeast on the blue trail, onto orange and up Ramapo Torne and all the way to black up over the so-named russian bear rock formation. Then take the black trail up the escarpment, then around to the lake. Running from the lake down on the red trail is relaxing and has some good little technical sections to run, and as the red trail crossed the creek again, I could see the sun through the trees starting to set in the valley. I got back just after sunset, having seen nobody out on any of the trails for over two hours.

17-Mar  run    0:41    300    1        ram park
             hike    0:35    260    2        ram park

Easy day, low effort run/hike.

18-Mar  hike    5:03    2300    3.5        harriman

The same route we hiked today, I ran last month in 2:53.  We hiked decently hard up the hills today, though otherwise didn't push the pace very hard. The main difference between a moderately hard hike and a long trail run is mostly in running the flats and downhills. Interesting comparison doing the same route.