Chicago Marathon Recovery Period

It's been 19 days today, and they say a day for each mile for 'recovery', but I'm calling it.

 

It's important to realize that when they say the 1 day for each mile of a marathon for recovery, it does NOT mean sitting on your ass for 26 days.

 

What it does mean is you run easy, much less mileage of course and get in regular exercise whether it be walking, strength training, Zumba, or whatever.

 

Just not like you were prior to taper.

 

I've run 6 and 8 miles respectively the past couple of Saturdays, with both being super easy pace; e.g. my 8 miler time was 1:30:20  (tomorrow I will do 10 miles)

 

I still did intervals, but was doing 7/1's (shorter runs I am pretty much for the most part running straight through again finally!)  Its getting harder and harder to get out the door for morning runs no matter the distance because of the cold here in NW Nebraska.  Its so hard as a matter of fact that I've only done it on my Saturday runs.  During the week, I'm like I want to stay in my warm house please!!

 

My runs during the week average 3-5 miles at a time.  Which is fine for half marathons coming up in the next few months.  Long gone, at least for another month, are the 6-7 milers mid-week.

 

I've really upped my game in the gym.  Typically my sessions are 1 to 1.5 hours and up to 2 hours on Sunday.  And the 1-1.5 hour ones are generally AFTER a run on the treadmill.

 

I've also done Step and started doing Yoga at least once a week as well.

 

Here, where I live, there just isn't a whole heck of a lot to do.  Last Winter, while I did train, it was lackluster at best (a LOT of treadmill running); I didn't know how to adjust to the harshness of the weather, so basically I stayed off the roads a lot.

 

Now I've come to realize that there is no sense in that.  A huge majority of my time this Winter will be spent with hours in the gym.  There is absolutely NO reason to sit in the house because its so cold, snowy, icy, whatever...spend that time working out.  Plus I have the treadmill now in the basement for those days you just cannot get out due to snow and ice. 

 

It happens.

 

I'm still hoping to motivate myself for the sub 10deg running Saturdays; I'm good with gear other than a buff, which I have yet to buy...but my weekdays will more than likely be spent in the gym unless it warms up enough (and not the high winds we generally get) to run after work outside.  But then that ruins my gym time, so running on the TM then working out for at least an hour doing either weights or a class is just more time efficient.

Anyhoohoo, thats pretty much what has been going on that I care enough to share that is ;)

One of my goals is to get back to close enough to peak performance weight by January 19th.  It'll be close, but its doable.  With the holidays though, makes it a bit more challenging.

I have a couple of other posts started, just not yet ready to publish.  There are some things I feel strongly about, but want to a) research more and/or b) need to word just right.

TTFN!