Friday, January 16, 2015

The calm before the training storm

Training begins the week after next.  Right now my runs are typical and non-taxing.  I’ve already begun doing some intensive core work, and I’m starting to see the results.  Believe it or not, I dropped 11 seconds from my typical kilometre pace.  I ran an easy 6 minute pace and mostly depleted my glycogen stores (which weren’t very full given that I depleted them in 10k).  The fact that I attained this pace (and so consistently) while wearing spikes, and running on a mixture of pavement and snow suggests that a) my fueling strategy (banana) is working and that b) the core work is keeping me in good running form throughout.  Bottom line: I’m running more efficiently… and training really hasn’t “begun” yet.  I will say that it’s definitely a nice thing not to have to bundle up as much as I had been when I was running in -30.  Was I faster in lighter clothing? We’ll see.
I ran through Forest Grove to the Meewasin Trail (roughly 4-4.5k to the trail) and ran north along the trail for another 500 metres before turning back and heading home.  The weather was just too good (0 celsius).
I targeted my transverse abdominis muscle when I did my post run workout.  I did this because of two things: 1) I need to increase the stability of my pelvis so that my leg-length difference (3-4mm) doesn’t lead to any pelvic twisting. [Not sure I explained that right]. 2) I’ve heard (can’t remember where) that a stronger transverse abdominis muscle leads to greater speed.
That’s the news.  I’m on pace for 25-ish kilometres this week--that’s not much at all, but it ought to keep me in reasonable shape up until actual training begins.

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