Ventura Training, wk3–Where the Upside Down Ones Look Best

Another week of no drinking on weekdays, tracking food, (kind of) doing core and strength stuff, and other responsible runner-ness down. Still feeling good sans some extra tight calves and a cranky piriformis; making extra hard, inappropriate love to my grid roller these days. Here’s hoping if the neighbors are peeping in our windows they’re runners too and get it.

• Sunday – rest, per usual
• Monday – 6 easy PM miles, strides.
  • A few people have asked about strides – they’re a drill done to tighten up form and sneak a little speed into easy runs, or warm up for a race. Simply, you run close to a sprint for a short duration. I don’t time or measure them, just build speed for 15 steps, maintain for 25 (should be ~85% max speed), then decelerate for 15 steps. 6-10 reps with a short break. – more –
• Tuesday – 16x400m – 8×4 60sec rest, 3:00 rest, 8×4 60sec. 7 miles total. 60min hard SUP (thought headwind was bad for running – being out a ways from shore with tired arms is a pretty frightening feeling)
• Wednesday – 35 minute bike ride. Lots of handstand practice, one of my funemployment bucket list “me” goals.

taking my circus show on the road. somewhere.

• Thursday – 1-3-2 Tempo. 7:30, 7:29, 7:13
• Friday – 5 easy on a new route. Drove out to Fountain Valley and took in the frisbee dudes, picnicers, bad golfers, and wedding photo shoot at Mile Square Park. Pretty cool spot.
• Saturday – 18 mile solo long run. Because no one will run with me when I look like this :

no shame in my bed head, inside-out bra (on purpose – eliminates band chaffing), neon sock hot mess long run game

Spent most of the run relishing the good fortune of overcast, cool, late morning weather. Pinky promise to never forget how lucky we are living in this surreal SoCal bubble, other than during tax season or while driving because one out of ten people know how to operate a damn motor vehicle without putting the entire road in life-threatening danger.

The rest of the 9-out-9-back was entertained by a slightly stale playlist, daydreams of lunch, and a bevy of interesting sights…

No but seriously, Raider Nation, there’s still two months until football season. Cool your effing jets.

Experimenting with fueling – I get legit stomach growling hungry on long runs (um prob bc I never go more than a few hours without eating) so I wanted to try taking “real food” to supplement gels/chews. I broke up a Picky Bar and ate a ~25cal piece each mile from 6-9. Earlier than I’d normally fuel, but since it’s not fast carbs like gels/chews I wanted to give it more time. Not sure on the science of that, but my brain logic says it makes sense. Plus eating something that tastes like brownie bites is much more fun and palatable than nasty goop. As proven when I spent all of mile 14 choking down a cherry chocolate goop trying not to gag.

100 calories Picky Bars miles 6-9, 100 calories Clif gel mile 14, 30 oz Nuun

Still a work in progress – who knows if I’ll be able to take down real food while running race pace or if it’ll somehow retaliate at mile 20+, but isn’t that the fun of trialing? The exciting unknown threats that could totally derail your plans on the big day??!

* BONUS GIVEAWAY TIME! *

Here’s your reward for making it to the bottom of another boring training recap post. Camelbak wants to give a Quick Grip handheld like mine to some thirsty summer runner. The smaller 10oz bottle is a nice change from my big old 20oz’er and the pocket fits Picky bites just right.

* To enter just leave a comment telling me what you dream about on a hades hot run. Freeze pop? Ice cream? Frosty mug of crisp pale ale? Jumping naked into a January snow pile? Will pick a winner Wednesday. No bonus entries cuz that shit gets too complicated.

Good luck! I’m off to scrub the dirty footprints off my handstand wall.

Sarah OUaL