This week was my third consecutive week of increased mileage (27 miles in total) and my body certainly made sure that I knew it was time for a recovery week after my long run on Sunday. I had already planned for week 19 to be a lower mileage week, so that isn't a problem.
My weekly soccer game wasn't held this week as Monday was the vacation day at IBM for July 4th. I wasn't disappointed as my right calf was tired and painful after my long run on Sunday.
On Tuesday I went to the pool and kicked for 30 minutes.
On Wednesday I ran for 7 miles on a relatively cool morning (72F, 22C with 73% humidity at 7am and 78F, 25C with 62% humidity at the end of my run). My calf loosened up during my run and was pain free, but the tightness returned later in the day. I debated running with my fuel belt as the quick stops at the water fountain don't result in much more than a couple of sips of water, but I decided to do a sweat-test instead. I weighed myself before the run and then immediately after to see how much weight I had lost. I had lost 36oz in one hour! Of course, some of that 36oz had been fluids that I had taken on before I started my run (which in this case had been around 20oz of water that I drank before I weighed myself for the starting weight), but that still meant I was 16oz down at the end of my run and that is too high.
On Thursday I went to the pool and kicked for 30 minutes.
On Friday I ran for 7 miles. Although the temperatures were close to Wednesday, it was more humid (73F, 22C with 81% humidity at 7am and 76F, 24C with 71% humidity at the end of my run). I wore my calf guards in the hope that they would help minimize the pain in my right calf, but they didn't really seem to have any effect as my calf was painful later in the day. I ran with my fuel belt this time, and performed another sweat test. I consumed less water before the start of my run (10oz) and sipped Gatorade each mile at the rate that I have typically used in the cooler months (two sips each mile). At the end of the run I had consumed 12oz of Gatorade and found myself 16oz down in weight. Adding the 16oz lost to the 12oz consumed gives me a total loss of 28oz in the hour and a deficit of 18oz - I still didn't drink enough during my run!
Saturday was my rest day and on Sunday I ran for 13 miles on a hot and humid morning. I started my run at 7am and it was 75F, 23C with 90% humidity and at 9am it was 80F, 26C with 75% humidity at the end of my run. I paid more attention to my hydration during my run and took sips of Gatorade or water every half mile. However, I forgot to weigh myself before my run, so I don't know what difference it made to my overall weight loss. Even with my moisture absorbent clothing, the sweat was dripping off of me at about the halfway point of my run. It was a tough run for a variety of reasons - the weather conditions didn't help, but my calf and Achilles ached the entire run and I struggled throughout to find a comfortable rhythm. My body was tired and was making sure I knew it!
Week 19 will be a recovery week following three consecutive weeks with mileage increases (21 miles, 24 miles and 27 miles). Given my aches and pains, I am going to make my running sessions optional and drop my long run this week.
Monday - Soccer
Tuesday - Kicking
Wednesday - optional 3.5 miles
Thursday - Kicking
Friday - optional 3.5 miles
Saturday - rest
Sunday - rest
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