SUMMARY, AUGUST 24-30, 2009

Daily Quote: "Some runners are more prone to injury than others. Certainly the more biomechanically sound a runner is, the less the chance of overuse injuries. The more weight the runner is carrying, the greater the chance of overuse injuries; the repeated impacts on the feet and legs are made more serious by the additional pounds being supported. Age and sex can also be a factor in dealing with running injuries. Older runners are more prone to injuries, since bones gradually become more prone to injuries, since bones gradually become more brittle and the joints and connecting tissues less flexible. The wider pelvis of a woman causes a more radical angle of impact to the ground when running; as a result, women are more susceptible to certain leg and hip problems than men." --Richard Benyo, from his book, "Making the Marathon Your Event."

I'm fortunate not to have many injuries since I started running in 1999. The worst injury I've had would be my plantar fasciitis injury in 2003 that took eight months to heal. I've had a non-running related knee injury when a passenger had accidentally bumped it during 2008, but thankfully wasn't too serious. I've had the typical soreness, like this year's right ankle and my right shoulder, but overall, I've been pretty lucky and plan to train smart enough as to stay healthy and fit for the "2009 RNR Las Vegas Marathon."

SUMMARY, AUGUST 24-30, 2009

Finished my third week of marathon training with a total of 63 miles, which is my highest weekly mileage this year! I've continued my running streak and haven't had a day without running since February 14th. Next week is my scheduled Recovery Week, where I cut-back on my mileage, but maintain the intensity. Only 14 weeks until the 2009 RNR Las Vegas Marathon!

The big news this week is that I have finally reached my racing goal weight of 170 pounds on my six foot frame!! Of course, I'm never satisfied and now plan on reaching 165 pounds for my upcoming marathon, I haven't been less than 170 pounds since the early 1970's.

I accomplished only two weight circuit sessions last week. I won't return to three sessions until after my marathon as it's just too difficult to find the time and energy to squeeze more into my routine.

My sleeping patterns have been very good, which has been a struggle due to the extra mileage, nevertheless this year I won't sacrifice sleep so I can run more. Last year I did doubles (ran twice a day), but this year I plan on not doing any doubles nor have any 100 mile weeks. As stated in the above paragraph, I'll only be doing two weight circuit sessions per week until after the marathon. This year's plan is less mileage and more emphasis on quality runs. My morning heart rates have been the usual, approximately 38-41 bpm.

A short recap of last week's training:
Monday: Lactate Threshold Workout. 9 miles.
Tuesday: Recovery Run, 5 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Wednesday: Long Run, 19 miles.
Thursday: Recovery Run, 5 miles.
Friday: Recovery Run, 6 miles. Weight Circuit Training.
Saturday: Medium-long Run, 13 miles.
Sunday: Recovery Run, 6 miles.
Total Weekly Mileage: 63 miles.