Training Overview #10 – Week of August 12 thru 18, 2019 – Rest and Tooth Extraction

Overview:

Friday's Ride

From the beginning this week was going to be a little uncertain as I was having a tooth extracted, due to a cracked root from an old root canal, on Tuesday.  Thus I ran a couple easy runs Monday and Tuesday so as to get some miles in before the extraction Tuesday afternoon.  After the extraction I decided to rest a couple days so as to make sure I did not do anything to dislodge the clot that is part of the healing process and avoid a case of “dry socket.”  The extracted area was fairly sore but not overly painful so I did not need to take the Tylenol/Ibuprofen that was prescribed by the dentist past the first 24 hours.

After the rest days on Wednesday and Thursday I decided to start with a ride on Friday morning as it would be the least jarring on my jaw.  The ride went well and while I did not push the ride goo hard I still got to 19MPH average speed.  The goal then was to run an easy 6 miles in the afternoon and I did so running at a relaxed pace that may have been a little bit faster than planned but felt good.  To add to this I then ran an easy 4 miles Saturday morning which made for 3 workouts in 24 hours.  I did this to test out the hamstring and it passed as while I could feel it during the runs it did not feel sore during or after the runs.  I did feel a little soreness on the outside of my knee but only a slight twinge and I have 48 hours till I run again so that should be taken care of but something to keep an eye on.

That was about it for the week as did not do any overly long runs or rides and no hard efforts.  In some ways it was a rest week even though I think the extraction took some out of me as I was just plain tired after Tuesday.  This was one of those weeks where you take what it offers and move on from there.

Diet Notes:
There was nothing really to report specific to diet for this week.  That said I do want to share what I have found to be an effective way to work on my Fat Adaptation/Metabolic Efficiency and that is fasted workouts.

As a general rule all my runs and rides, except for ones in the afternoons, are done fasted.  Well, I do have a cup of coffee with heavy cream but that is all, and it serves a couple purposes: 1) I just like it and 2) it gets the system going so I can get out the door sooner.  I do for most all my runs up to about 15 – 20 miles and rides up to about 50-60 miles.  Basically any activity up to about 3 hours I train fasted but as with most things the longer the run or ride is to be the more I take it on a workout by workout basis.  For rides of up to 2 hours I just take water and then from 2-4 hours I use the SFuels Training formula.  With runs I do not carry water or SFuels till the run is up to about 3 hours or on shorter runs if it is going to be hotter or very humid.

I want to add that the length of the runs, and rides, I do fasted were not that way to begin with but a result of working on this for 3 years or so. I started with shorter time limits, up to an hour running and 1.5 hours riding, for fasted workouts so keep that in mind when working at this.  Over time I have found I rarely feel hungry on these morning workouts but will say every now and then I have a workout where I feel hungry but even then I am not overly tired from it.

I truly think these fasted workouts are key to getting my body to burn fat more readily and have greatly helped on much longer runs and rides in allowing me to not need the glut of carbs I used to need in the past.

Overview of Weeks Runs and Rides:

• Monday: Run –  5 miles
• Tuesday: Ride –  6 Miles
• Wednesday: & Thursday – Recovery from Tooth Extraction 
• Friday #1: Ride –  41.1 Miles
• Friday #2: Run -  6.25 Miles
• Saturday: Ride –  4.1 Miles   
• Sunday: Rest Day 

Totals:

• Running Miles –  21.4
• Riding Miles – 41.1
• Total Time –  5:14

Plan for Coming Week:
For next week my plan is to get in one long ride, goal is 60 miles on Thursday as it will be my 60th birthday, and run about 30 miles over 4 days – thus a total of 5 days with two days rest.  This week I did decide to enter a couple races at Pulaski County Park this coming Saturday for training so will run a 5k Trail race at 7:30AM and then at 8:30AM start the 10K Trail race.  I have no idea how I will run/race them but want to get in a nice trail morning and always like going to these races to meet up with people from the area that I only often get to meet at races.  I am sure I will race the 5k – at least to some level - but will have to see how the 10K feels as to the effort I will put out so as not to injure anything but get in some good work.

With about 8 weeks to our R2R2R at the Grand Canyon I need to start getting in more miles running just to condition the legs for the time I will be on them.  But I will keep up doing a long ride at least every other week, or so, to get in the aerobic work with less wear and tear on the legs.  As I head back to So. Cal for work after Labor Day I am going to do my longest ride ever, well that is the plan, by riding the local Green River Century and then adding another 50 when I am done with it.  Will be interesting to see how it goes as while I have not ridden that far I have been on the bike for 8-9 hours so that part is not new.  This ride both gets me time moving so as to help with the R2R2R but also is a further step in getting ready for next years Dirty Kanza 200 as well as any other long events I may do.


Last Week's Overview #9