Welcome to Mountain Week
Mountain Week has nothing to do with hill reps.
To me, it is the week that is the peak of training in miles run and just before the taper.
There doesn't seem to be a lot written about this week, although it is found hidden in the various training programs without so much as a title.
I'm a big believer in the significance of Mountain Week and all that it stands for. For some, it may seem strange that although I am so close to the end of the training program it is the hardest time to get out of bed and finish off the climb. Let me share a little of what I have found .....
Mountain Week Fact #1: "You can't run as fast when your body is fatigued"
This fact plays with my mind. Why was that run so slow? Why can't I get faster, if I'm training harder? How can I possible reach my goal time when I can't get close in training?, etc etc. Fear not my friends, the piggy bank is swelling with deposits for your race.Mountain Week Fact #2: "The closer to the peak the higher the risk of injuries"
For weeks now I've been slowly building distance and blending in speed drills. What I will do this week, could not have been done, even a few weeks ago, without damaging my muscles. They have got used to things, but, at the same time fragile. Like mountain climbing (I guess) working on tired legs leaves them more vulnerable than if there was more rest time and less workload. One slip now and I could plummet.
So ..... my first ascent of Mountain Week was a 15K cruise in cold wet conditions. I wore gloves. Not running with gloves, when it's cold and wet, makes as much sense as a bum full of smarties.
Nothing really eventful with this run except I heard a duck out on the floating bridge. There wasn't anyone around ...... it could have been me! Or was it you? The splits were all over the place starting just over 5 min per K (8min/mile) and then dropping under. Strange for me was that whenever I tended to slow down, I was able to pick it up again without too much trouble. Even after 10K, which has me feeling quite strong at the moment.Tomorrow I'll do a double, morning and evening run.
posted by Toasty @ 10:00 pm
8 Comments:
Now see, that's actually a cute ticker. Ooh, did I just use the C word? Sorry, but it is what it is. :)
So now you are on the downhill run ie the taper? That's the part of training I find the hardest - after training hard for so long I find it hard to let go. Anyway good luck for your taper.
Duck on the floating walkway??? That toast hating wife of yours didn't slip "Rubber Ducky" onto the iPod did she :-)
Its been so interesting watching your prep for this one. It probably stands out because no-one else in our regular Saturday group is doing mara training at the moment and there always seems to be just one spare seat early on at our post run brekkies.
Enjoy your doubler.
"Cold wet conditions..." Not my idea of fun at all!!
You really made me think about 'mountain week'. I've never heard the term, but it all makes sense now - all those thoughts and feelings a runner has while they finish off training before the taper. Thanks for putting it all in perspective for me.
I remember a similar photo with this question: "who is inside and who is outside"?
Well I did not really have much of a mountain week for this marathon, but I do plan on one for my marathon at the end of November. Stay safe out there.
good luck on the Melbourne Marathon
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