ECS Wisconsin Training Week 12 + Taper

Ten days.  Ten day until The ECS Wisconsin race!  I’ve slacked a bit on reporting on my ECS Wisconsin training weeks 12 – taper, but that’s because I’ve been busy with recipes (fig arugula pizza) and the start of the school year.  Without further ado, here is the recap for ECS Wisconsin Training Week 12 through taper.

 




 

 

Week 12 – Last build 

 

Mon 8/21 Tues 8/22 Weds 8/23 Thurs 8/24 Fri 8/25 Sat 8/26 Sun 8/27 Total
5 EZ

6.1mi + 8mi bike commute

10 speed 

10 treadmill +  4mi bike commute

6 EZ am + 4 ez PM + strength

7 am + EDGE + 4mi bike 

 

yoga

yoga + 4 mi bike commute

7 + NP

10 ez + 1.25 at NP

30

    30mi at Crystal Lake

10

7.5 mi  Lakefront + 2 mi bike 

70

72

 

ECS Wisconsin Training Week 12 highlights 
  • Tuesday was a longer interval session: 1 mile warmup, 3 miles at 7:20 pace, .75 mi at 6% incline, .25 mi at 2% incline, 2 miles at 7:08 pace, another mile of inclines, 1 mile at 6:54 pace, 1 mile cool down inclines.  Felt really happy with my ability to hold the longer paces (it made me miss marathon training where those paces were old hat!)

 

  • Wednesday I was training teachers all day long at a different location and didn’t have my usual run equipment to allow for an afternoon run.  Instead I was able to squeeze in an extra mile in the morning before strength class and then a bike commute.
  • Friday I felt phenomenal and got 10 miles in before November Project – it made up for some missing miles earlier in the week.  The workout was a blast too – everyone seemed to be in a good mood and then we got snacks afterwards which always makes it better.

 

  • Saturday, 30 miles, Crystal Lake.  BOOM.  Confidence boost for sure.
  • Since I had run 10 miles on Friday when I was supposed to run 7, I decided to run 7 on Sunday when I was supposed to run 10.  Just stayed on the Lakefront because I also moved to a new apartment on Sunday and needed to pick up the U-haul by 10am.

 



 

Week 13 – First week of taper 

 

Mon 8/28 Tues 8/29 Weds 8/30 Thurs 8/31 Fri 9/1 Sat 9/2 Sun 9/3 Total
rest

3  + NP popup + massage

9 speed 

7.5 treadmill + 4.25 bike commute

5 EZ + strength

7 + EDGE

 

yoga

yoga

6 + NP

6 + 1.3 at NP

15

    15.2 Swallow Cliff

10

10.11  Lakefront 

46

50 mi run, 5.5 mi bike

 

ECS Wisconsin Training Week 13 highlights 
  • On Monday, November Project had a pop-up workout with Divvy bikes, so I ran from my new apartment to the meeting location, did the workout, then ran home.  A great start to taper, right?

  • Tuesday was my last speed workout on the treadmill.  Mentally I wasn’t into it.  After a 1 mile warmup, I ran .25mi tempo, .25mi incline, .5 mi tempo, .5mi incline, .25 tempo, .75 incline, .25mi recovery.  Repeated the cycle and counted the last .75 and .25 as my cool down.  Not sure what the problem was with my mental game, but I couldn’t dial it in like normal.  I’m thinking maybe work stuff played a role – lots of changes and uncertainty.
  • Wednesday I was feeling great again.  Another fabulous 7 miles and strength class.

  • Saturday was my last time running on the trails before the race!  Went to Swallow Cliff and did some loops.  It was really chilly at the start – 48 degrees!  I layered on the buffs.  How many buffs is too many buffs?

 

How many buffs is too many buffs?

 

Week 14 – Second week of taper  

 

Mon 9/4 Tues 9/5 Weds 9/6 Thurs 9/7 Fri 9/8 Sat 9/9 Sun 9/10 Total
Rest

Rest and it drove me crazy

9 speed 

9.5mi Cricket Hill

6 EZ + strength

7 + EDGE  

 

yoga

yoga

5 + NP

5.1 + 1.25 at NP

10

13mi  Lakefront + 5mi bike

7

7.2mi  Lakefront + Birthday celebrations!

38

43 mi run, 5 mi bike

 

ECS Wisconsin Week 14 highlights 
  • Monday.  I really don’t like rest days.  I feel like a sloth.  My brain tells me I’m fat.  I feel like I will not be fresh for race day.  It took a LOT of mental willpower and strength to view this as a supporting session.  It was Labor Day and a day off; I spent the day organizing my new apartment and writing recipe blog posts instead.

  • Tuesday I went to the Montrose Track to workout with the NP Sprint Tuesday crew and say goodbye to one of the athletes I’m coaching.  I did some Cricket Hill repeats and enjoyed the company.

 

  • Saturday was GLORIOUS.  Just simple GLORIOUS.  With the weather and the taper, I was hitting sub 8s for the last miles and just wanted to keep going. My new birthday hat helped too (actual birthday was Sunday, but my present came early).

 

 

Week 15 – RACE WEEK –> planned workouts 

 

Mon 9/11 Tues 9/12 Weds 9/13 Thurs 9/14 Fri 9/15 Sat 9/16 Sun 9/17 Total
Rest 9 speed  6 EZ + no strength + MASSAGE REST 2 + NP (just social) RACE DAY

50k

Rest  47

 

ECS Wisconsin Week 15 race week plan
  • My plans for this week are to rest Monday and Thursday before the race.
  • Tuesday I will do a similar speed at Cricket Hill like last week- just a few repeats to stay fresh.
  • Wednesday I will do an easy run but no strength class, and in the afternoon I plan to get a massage.
  • Friday I will do a 2 mile shakeout and go to November Project, just for the social aspect.  I won’t be doing any workout.  In the afternoon I’ll drive up to Wisconsin and get ready to run in the morning!

 

 

I can’t believe that the ECS Wisconsin 50k is less than a week away!  I always feel shocked the week of the race.  I’ve been working for months towards this day, which always seems like a long way off, and then suddenly it’s upon me.  There are a lot of things that I’ve learned this training cycle, and already have a list of tweaks for the next one.  Is anyone else a training perfectionist like that?  I will remain calm.  I will not taper tantrum.

 

 

What do you think of this change of weather?  What are you training for?  Anyone else planning out their race schedule for next year yet?

 

 

Happy running,

Becca

 



 


 

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Amanda @blackbeanqueen

Good luck on your 50k race and happy taper week! You got this! ?? I love this time of year-it’s the best running weather! I’m training for the Madison half marathon in November. ? I’d like to do a 5k or 10k in the next month too just for fun. As long as I stay healthy, I want to run my first marathon in 2018! ?