I am officially 20 days out from this event! This past week of training was recovery week. I began implementing recovery weeks after following my training plan from Runfit 365. I noticed a big difference in my performance and my level of endurance after completing one of these every 2-3 weeks of hard training. Recovery week is similar to tapering but I don’t scale the mileage back too much.
Monday: Rest day.
Tuesday: 3 mile run followed up with 30 minutes of cross training focusing on the glutes/hamstrings and core.
Wednesday: 3 mile run.
Thursday: 3-2-1 fartlek workout with Sam. I wasn’t feeling up to the speed work after such a great run the previous day but I opted to go out for at least 10 minutes and if at the end of those 10 minutes I still wasn’t feeling it I would just attempt an easy run for the remainder of the time. 6 minutes in we had completed the first interval and I was feeling pretty good so I decided to continue with the workout. I am glad I did, I ended up earning a new record for my fastest mile AND took :40 seconds off my 5K time.
Friday: Rest day.
Saturday: 8 mile run including bridge training. I had originally planned to do this on a flat course. My best running friend, Montana, recently registered for Iron Girl and was going to be in the area over the weekend; to help her prepare for the course I decided to thrown in a bridge run but told myself to take it easy as it was recovery week. Montana uses the Jeff Galloway method which helped pace me well and keep me from running too fast and too hard. We did a 2/1 run/walk ratio.
Nothing like a large glass of chocolate milk and some eggs with bacon and a biscuit to refuel.
Sunday: Rest day.
Do you add recovery weeks to your training?
Super week for you!! I am just like you. Always give it a little bit into a speed work to see if I’m feeling it or not.
Thanks Melanie! We can’t be too quick to give up 🙂
Nice job on your 5k time! And thanks so much for running with me- it really helped me stay motivated!
Thanks running bestie 🙂 And, of course! Let’s plan to continue our runs here and there so we stay motivate during the summer and work towards a shiny new PR in the fall 😉
Nice week of training, especially with the fast times! Yay for a fast 5k! Yes, I definitely add cut back weeks. In fact, I’m currently in mine. 😉 You body NEEDS these weeks after tough weeks of training. Keep it up!
Thanks Jess! I agree, rest is key to not only success but preventative maintenance to injury 🙂
Congrats on your fastest mile and your fastest 5k! What a great week!
Thanks Kathryn! It definitely came as a surprise to me but surely did make for a great week 🙂