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May 9, 2009 - Good week of training

Sedona red rocks

I keep telling myself that I have to be getting fitter with how hard training is up here, even if the times are difficult to relate since you run slower than at sealevel. I keep hearing different conversions like mile repeats are about 15 secs slower up here, but I just figure if I run on effort and run as hard as I can on the days I need to, I will get fitter!

Last week I left this blog ready to attack 800m repeats, which ended up being a great effort, but a bit humbling considering I couldn't run any faster than 2:20 for four of them on eight minutes rest (would be similar to four minutes rest at sealevel). I expected to be able to run them at 1500m race pace, but on that day it wasn't happening. Either way, it was still a very hard effort, which is the main focus.

Flagstaff track

However, a couple days later I had a workout I was a bit more satisfied with - we did 2 sets of 4x400m with 2 minutes rest and I averaged 67-68 seconds which is more in that 1500m race pace zone. I felt pretty good that day; I was finally feeling like I could handle the altitude in hard workouts. So, it was a bit strange to learn that the blood test I got that afternoon showed a high white blood cell count, usually indicated some kind of an infection. I wasn't quite sure what to do with this news because I was feeling totally normal. Luckily, I was able to get some good advice from my sports doc to just go ahead with training if I felt fine; if I got sick, then I'd know the results were accurate.

But so far I've been pretty good - thankfully! I did my last really hard track workout yesterday and had a good one. It was a fast and really lactic session of 600m/2' rest/200m at 800m race pace and then a 15' rest, followed by 500m/2'rest/300m at the same pace. I thought I was going to throw up since I haven't done much lactic work. I find after a couple I adapt well and it really helps me get ready for racing.

Ice bath in the creek.

It was super hot here yesterday so after the workout we jumped in a creek at a beautiful local canyon near Sedona - I definitely recommend checking out the area, it's so amazing.

I only have four days left here so I'll start to drop my mileage and do one more workout Tuesday before racing this Saturday in California at the Carson Adidas Track Classic. I am really excited to get on the line and start the season off!