Easy Week- Boston Marathon Week 6

Boston Marathon 2012

" The more you sweat in practice, the less you bleed in battle."- Author Unknown

My marathon training program is 18 weeks long.  Not too much sweat this week since it is what I call "easy week".

Too prepare for any event I work hard and follow a training plan.  The more prepared I am the better things go on race day.  Rest is just as important for race day preparation as workouts.. Marathon plans are structured to have two weeks which build in mileage and intensity, then in the third week, there is an easy week.  Easy week gives the body a chance to recover and consolidate the gains made in the previous two weeks.

It is still early in my training but here is an example of how the weeks are different.

Week 5
Monday -7mile tempo run
Tuesday- weights, 30min pool run, 30 min swim
Wednesday- 90 min compu trainer class
Thursday-weights, 30 min pool run, 30 min swim
Friday - off
Saturday- 14mile run with speed work (5 x 1 K, 400 recovery)
Sunday- easy 6 mile run or 60 min bike

Week 6- Easy Week
Monday- 5 mile tempo
Tuesday- 30 min pool run, wts
Wednesday- rest due to Graston treatment
Thursday- 30 min pool run, wts
Friday- 10 mile easy run
Saturday- 60 min bike
Sunday- wts/ 30 min run

The reduction in mileage is small, but I can really feel the difference.  I also appreciate the extra time I gain during my easy week.  Easy week is a welcome mental break as well.  It is nice to get some time off from long miles and intense workouts.

I will be back at it this week.  My long run is scheduled for 16 miles this week. I am hoping for good weather so I can run outside. Also looking forward to trying a new running route since that has helped to energize my long runs.  We are going to have a high of 6F here in Milwaukee tomorrow.  So I will be confined to the treadmill in the gym.  With the temperatures so cold it is hard to believe in a little over 11 weeks I will be on the starting line in Hopkinton.  Hopefully this time we'll have spring weather.

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Chris Wodke

Founder & Manager Team CMT

www.run4cmt.com

Team CMT is a group of athletes and supporters working to raise awareness and to find a cure for CMT. We have almost 116 members in 25 states. If you wish to join us visit our web site.

CMT or Charcot-Marie-Tooth is the most commonly inherited peripheral neuropathy. It affects over 155,000 Americans (as many as MS).  It is a disease of the nerves that control the muscles. It is slowly progressive, causing loss of normal function and or sensation in the lower legs/feet and arms/hands.

Symptoms include; muscle wasting in the lower legs and feet leading to foot drop, poor balance and gait problems Atrophy in the hands causes difficulty with manual dexterity.

Structural foot deformities such as high arches and hammer toes are common.

Poor tolerance for cool or cold temperatures and many people have chronically cold hands and feet.

Additional symptoms may include fatigue, sleep apnea, breathing difficulties and hearing loss.