FIRST recovery then FIRST runnning

So in the last week I have swam twice and ridden the bike 3 times. My legs have just not been responding like I have wanted. They feel fine but there is just no spring – no get up and go. So on Tuesday morning I went for a 5 mile run. I pushed the pace. This was a ‘pretty’ hard effort but the pace was closer to a comfortable effort. It was difficult to maintain an 8 minute per mile pace (not insurmountable but difficult). A week or two prior to the ironman I was able to click off 6 miles in 42 minutes under similar effort. In addition, I have been about to hover around 7 minutes per mile on most of my short distance triathlons.

Don’t get me wrong, I know that there will be a recovery period; it is just that my legs and body feel fine. I am just not responding to the effort. It would be different if I was walking around on hurt legs and unable to walk up / down stairs. I would understand. But feeling fine and just not performing where I would like to is another matter.

I will just have to wait it out until I am back on my game. I have some 5k goals that I would like to achieve (I was knocking on the 18’s back in March – 19:09 and really want to see 18:xx).

Also, I would like to start putting together a Boston Marathon qualifying time. This will be a real challenge for me. Running a sub-3:15 – I am not anywhere near that but maybe with some hard work and a little bit of luck I can pull it off.

I have been looking at various training plans and I really like the FIRST program (Furman Institute of Running and Scientific Training). I read the book Runner's World Run Less, Run Faster: Become a Faster, Stronger Runner with the Revolutionary FIRST Training Program (Runners World) last fall and put some of the training to use for a ½ marathon. The program is challenging and it is based on 3 purposeful runs a week (basically – intervals, tempos, and long runs). By purposeful they mean HARD. No garbage miles. In addition it seems to be based on a run dominate triathlon program since your non-running days are filled with cross training (i.e. biking and swimming). I was able to do most of the workouts last year with the tempo runs being the hardest. Tempo runs have always been my shortcoming. It is hard for me to ride that edge – I have always thought that I lack a little mental toughness at those edges. I guess it is time to put it to the test.

I may not have time to put together a run for Boston this fall but there is always the Mardi Gras Marathon in February. But first I have to get my legs back under me.