Tonight’s four mile run will mark the sixth straight day I’ve run. This will be a first for me! Actually, as far as I can think, last night’s run was the first time I’ve ever even run five days in a row. Generally, I keep to running five days a week and usually not more than three in a row. Sometimes, my schedule will force me to run four days in a row, but I try to minimize that. I’ve worked with training plans that call for six straight days before, but I always ended up altering it for fear of it being too much for my body. I always feel like I need my two weekly rest days. This time, though, I’m going for it.
I wouldn’t call it a streak since running six days in a row isn’t that intense for most serious runners, but it’s notable for me. The first of the six runs was scheduled as a 15-miler, but I ran into serious hydration issues and threw in the towel at twelve. If not for feeling nauseously dehydrated, I think I would have had a great run, but it still wasn’t a great start to a six-day straight running schedule. Sunday, I bounced back with an awesome six mile run and followed up with an easy five-mile recovery run on Monday. When it came time for Tuesday’s nine miles, I figured I should take it a little on the easier side and when I started off I didn’t feel particularly great. I wasn’t worried about making it through, but I wasn’t getting the feeling it’d be a great run. As the run progressed, though, I started feeling better and better and I was getting faster and faster. By the time I finished my ninth mile, I was feeling incredible and running close to my old pre-transition 5k pace. I was really moving and I didn’t want to stop, but I played it smart and stuck to my training plan. I thought this would have left me tired for last night’s seven miles, but I destroyed those at a faster overall pace than the nine-miler. I felt great afterwards too. I wanted to eat everything in the house, but I felt great.
Tonight’s run is just four miles and they’ll be at a nice easy pace with just a few ten-second hill sprints in the middle. Should be pretty easy.
The part that’s really standing out to me is how awesome my legs feel right now. They’re not tired at all. Usually, just the last two nights’ runs would have been enough for me to feel it a bit, but I’m feeling great. I’ve been wearing compression socks to bed every night this week, so maybe that’s at least helping my calves a bit. I don’t normally buy into things like compression socks where there isn’t any science (yet?) to back it up, but I can’t argue with how I feel right now and how I’ve felt in my last few runs.
I’m also kind of psyched about just running super well in general lately. I’m starting to feel like my old self. I’m not as fast, but I’m at least feeling as good as I used to. I’ve been on hormones for six months and was near the end of a seven-week injury-caused break from running when I started them and I’m_ just now_ finally starting to feel comfortable with myself runner again. I’m finally consistently enjoying it again.
I’m hoping tonight’s run feels as good as the last five, but I’ve got a good feeling about it. And I better be right about it because four of my next five weeks have six straight days of running scheduled and the Richmond Marathon is only seven weeks away!