"I WANNA GO FAST!" -Ricky Bobby

It's race week!  I'm so pumped to get out on the track and lace the up the spikes once more.  I think I speak for just about any track and field athlete when I say that the weeks and months of fall training get long and drawn out.  It's good to be able to see all of that hard work out on the track.

This past week of training was exactly what I needed heading into the race.  We backed off the mileage very slightly because we want our legs to feel a little more fresh.  Yet at the same time it is a looooong year, so we don't want to back off too much and not get a solid training effect from this week.  We stuck to three workouts and one long run as our usual, with one of the workouts being a speed/endurance workout at mile pace.

My body is feeling great overall.  I have occasional aches and pains, but we come to learn that it is just part of the training.  As long as those aches and pains are attended to quickly, there is no need to worry.

One of the big problems with training in the northeast during the winter months, is the weather.  The first few weeks of January were filled with snow storms and subzero temperatures.  It was hard to get myself out the door on those days, I'm not going to lie.  But as a professional athlete, there are no days off.  I had to find a way to get myself out the door and get the work done that needed to be done.  Whether it was to hop in the pool, cross train (via bike or ElliptiGO), or just to bundle up, I had to get the work done.  It's all part of the job!

I will line up on Saturday against a group of fellow sub-4 minute milers.  It's going to be a fun race to open up with.  It will be at the New Balance Games at the Armory Track and Field Center in NYC.  Come check out the race!

Here is a look at last week's training...

January 13-19

Monday

Morning track workout-

3x1600 (4:44, 4:46, 4:39) 1x1200 (3:30)

4x100

Afternoon-

Weight Session

Total Mileage: 10

Tuesday

8 mile recovery run

Wednesday

Morning track workout-

1200 (mile pace), 600 (mile pace)

4x400 (60, 58, 58, 54)

Afternoon-

3 mile run

Weight Session

Total Mileage: 10

Thursday

8 mile recovery run

Friday

Morning workout-

2x2 mile pace run (5:30, 5:33) (5:17, 5:18)

Afternoon-

Weight Session

Total Mileage: 9.5

Saturday

13 mile long run

Sunday

8 mile recovery run

Total Weekly Mileage: 66.5

For questions, comments, or suggestions, feel free to post below or email me directly at mikeruttrunning@gmail.com!