Eight Weeks Out: Endurance Challenge

This week was an exercise in increasing miles goldilocks style, not too little, not too much but just right for the North Face Endurance Challenge 50k.  I hit this elusive target in that the miles I put in were challenging and I feel recovered enough to put in more challenging miles.  All the runs were of the hot and humid variety and while Tuesday and Thursday featured AM runs it was of little increased comfort.  In order to make the most of time constraints my long run was a two a day effort and likely the best approach in this heat.  The rest of the week was filled out with swimming and biking.

M:  ½ hour swim (1500 m)

T:  1 hour run  (10 mi)

W:  ¾ hour bike (14 mi)

T: 

F:  1 hour run (8 mi), and 1 ²/₃ hour run (13 mi)

S:  1 hour mountain bike (8 mi)

S:  1 ¾ hour bike (28 mi)

Sunday’s social ride in the heat was one day too many.  It is difficult to say no to a beautiful woman.  Starting Friday evening my recovery began being compromised in the interest of social standing.  I have paid for it.  There has been no training this week after I came down with a dose of food poisoning Sunday night and I have not eaten a full meal since then.  With Endurance activity comes a compromised immune system and the need to take nutrition, hydration, and sleep very seriously.  A 5k might kill me right now.  This week has been about fighting dehydration and restarting my digestive system.