Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Wednesday sucking less

am) 2.92 miles in 27:29. 9:42 pace with an average HR of 139.

pm) 5 miles in 39:05. 7:49 pace with average HR 146. I drove the eight minutes down to 6000ft. and ran on flatter roads for this. Still not stellar (and I can't believe I'm saying this) but I'm pleased. The 5 miles felt like 15 though and I am knackered.
I'm convinced that I over trained this past month. My ego made me believe that I was adapted to the altitude when I think it just crept up slowly and bit my ass. I started to see a decline 2 weeks ago and should have listened to the numbers.
I made a humongous error in relying on last year's base fitness and forgoing my usual long base build. It's like I ignored the altitude and it's effects and all reason. I jumped straight in to hard efforts after a 32 day rest break, since I was rested the workouts were solid. Over time though I was slowly building fatigue and not absorbing anything.
So I'm stepping back and rebuilding a proper level of aerobic fitness and am going to test weekly both at high altitude and low altitude to see if I backslide again. HR maximum for a few weeks will be 150.

10 comments:

Matt said...

Sounds like a guest post, starring me. What happened? I must have missed something. Was it the coach's program? The elevation?

ckotte said...

Lucho -

What do you feel is the big reason for your perceived lack of fitness? I highly doubt that your un-fit, but perhaps something is going on? Maybe I missed something, did you take a lot of time off? Is the altitude really kicking your ass?

Just curious. I know my fitness dropped off big time, but I really didn't do shit since August and am paying a big price because of that.

Can you elaborate a bit more?

Dave said...

Good to see that you're in a better place. It seemed to be getting a little hairy there for a bit. One thing that has helped me get in some big running weeks lately has been the quote you gave from Stephen the Kenyan..."I'm just going to run." That's what it's all about. Just running. Good luck, you'll be awesome!

J.P. Patrick said...

If it's any consolation, your pace was 1:34 per mile faster today than yesterday. With the 2 feet of snow you're going to get tomorrow, it may be short lived!! Bring some of that wood inside!

Lucho said...

Matt- I did follow my ex-coaches program which made me not listen to my body. Since communication with him wasn't possible his schedules kept on rolling despite warning signs and declining performance. Regardless- it was my fault 100% for not listening to my gut. If you tell me to jump off a bridge and I jump off a bridge... that's my own fault. Unless you are a Jedi.
I'll be back shortly.. this is just a small bump in the road.

Matt said...

Thanks for the clarification, coach.
Deja vu: it's March 2008. I love it!

scott said...

Falk Cierpinski 66min Half Marathon in Lisbon last weekend....keep believing Tim he was a triathlete as well!!

http://www.lisbon-half-marathon.com/en/2009.htm

Lucho said...

Ckotte- Did my post answer your questions? I have several athletes that are doctors and one of them expressed his concern saying my issues seemed more medical like an infection. I think it's been a combination of a bunch of things that have put me just over the edge. I don't think I'm too far part to come back quickly though. And of course I'm going to say that. Not doing shit for 8 months is rough. Why the break?

Thanks Dave- Ya, I get hairy once in a while. I think Claus was correct in that I push myself to these melt down points. I need to regulate my energy more.

Thanks Scott- That does motivate me! So thank you.
Cheers.

ckotte said...

Lucho - you did answer my question....i was more concerned that it may have been just a fluke/medical or possibly you were just killing yourself....

Anyhow, your last post looks like your getting back on track...glad to see it...

Now, I just need to go find a freaking track...and then run.

Lucho said...

ckotte- Then you'll be back on track! Yuk-yuk.