Feeling Great!

Today was fan-ferking-tastic! 

Something (special) is going on.  My recovery time has drastically reduced.  I don't know if the body has adapted to this level of stress, if my training approach is allowing for quicker recovery, or is it the change in diet.  I believe it is a combination of all of them.  The diet is significant, closely resembling a Vegetarian's meal plan.   My wife and I are spending significant amount of time figuring out how to get the right nutrients, down to the macro and micro level.  This is beyond when to get carbs and protein.  Many athletes profess to the magic of an effective diet (and sleep) to improve performance by reducing recovery time.  The effort has paid off for me with slow weight loss (10 lbs in 10 weeks).   We continue to investigate other diet options.  Currently much of our attention is learning about Metabolic Efficiency Training - which is a philosophy on how to transition your body from a predominant carb energy source to fat burning.  We all, even the Kenyan athletes, have enough fat to support them through multiples of marathons.   I'll write more on my diet selection later.

Back to feeling great.  Sunday was a long 4hr trail training run.  Typical coastal course....flat, with nice ocean breeze.  I didn't make this any harder than necessary. I increased the run to 4:11, simply to hashtag a marathon distance for the day's run.  Over the last two weeks, I had bagged two 4 hr and one 3 hr training run - culminating in 135 miles over that period.   I had never run that many super long runs like this.  While my approach in the second week (60 miles) allowed for significant recovery from my 75 mile supercompensation week, I was due an easy week.  This week's target is 35 miles.  Given my inability to walk up and down stairs Sunday afternoon (along with a 2 hr nap), it signalled relief was an absolute must.   I felt loose enough to run Monday, so I hit the high school track (ran on turf inside of lane 1) for an easy barefoot 3 miles. Much to my surprise, there was almost no residual effect from Sunday.  Tuesday (today) was another barefoot 3 miles flat track run.  I added the Wharton's Active Isolated Stretch routine, new sand routine (Kansas State Coaches Smith and Johnson cover this foot and ankle strengthening routine
in their DVD), and medicine ball circuit.  I wore the HR monitor to ensure I stayed in the correct zone (110 bpm).   I felt very good today - no signs of fatigue.  Moving forward, I hope to incorporate strength exercises at least two/three times a week.  Given my history of ankle sprains, the sand routine will be a permanent fixture for the next month (three or four times a week).  I closed out the day with my standard set of running form drills (fast feet, high knees, and kick backs).  

Summary of non-running activity:

Wharton's AIS

• Single Leg Pelvic Tilt
• Double Leg Pelvic Tilt
• Bent Leg Hamstrings
• Straight Leg Hamstrings
• Hip Adductors
• Hip Abductors
• Quadriceps

Tools of the Trade: Long Jump Pit (Sand Routine), 3kg Medicine Ball, and Ribbon (Wharton's AIS)

Sand Routine

• Toe Walk
• Heel Walk
• Feet Out (Duck) Walk
• Feet In Walk
• Roll Ankle In Walk
• Roll Ankle Out Walk
• Foot Crawl (...this one is a challenge, expect significant foot and toe fatigue)

Medicine Ball Circuit (1 set each, 10 reps per side)

• Wall throws (chest, side/hip, overhead)
• Wood Chops
• Standing Leg Lift and extension (hold ball out, chest level)
• Reverse Lunge with Twist (needs work, lacking balance - aka weak core)
• Single Leg Deadlift (highlighted my poor balance, proprioceptive issues)
• Push up with Ball Exchange
• Single Leg V-Up