Week 2 of my training schedule ended very well so I was looking forward to maintaining a routine and continuing to build up my mileage. I'm getting used to exercising in the morning before I teach and I enjoy the sense of accomplishment that comes with finishing my workouts before 9am. Unfortunately my calf is flaring up again today as I'm writing (I have strained the soleus in my left calf), but I guess I shouldn't be surprised given how I'm trying to increase my mileage.
Week 3 (7/7 - 7/13)
This is what SmartCoach had scheduled for me:
Monday - An 8-mile run. I ran fairly relaxed on a humid morning. The time was nothing special, but it's a fine way to start the week after a long run (16.5 miles) the previous Saturday.
Tuesday - A 60-minute elliptical session. It goes pretty well. Similar to Monday, it's not a record setting workout but I'm pleased with my performance and my body is feeling good.
Wednesday - An 8-mile tempo run. I head out in the morning while the temperature is still only in the mid 70s but it's humid with a very light drizzle. I push the early pace a bit too hard and fade slightly near the end. I probably averaged around 6:10 pace which is nowhere near the SmartCoach recommendation. While I don't have the speed I had back in April near the end of my training for Frederick, I feel good about this run since I have not done many intervals or tempo runs over the past couple of months. I'm fairly confident that my times will come back down if I am able to continue with my training schedule and get in consistent speed sessions.
Thursday - A 50-minute reverse elliptical session. Another solid, if unspectacular, workout. I go for 50 minutes in reverse and then follow it up with a 10 minute cool down in the normal (forward) direction.
Friday - An 8 mile run. I go out nice and easy for the first half and then pick up the pace a bit near the end. Chris Flynn ran with me for 5 miles or so and it's always nice to have someone to talk to.
Saturday - A 19 mile run. This one was much slower than last week's 16.5, probably due to the temperature that was around 90 degrees. Last week my miles were all between 6:20 and 6:30; this week my splits were mostly in the 6:30 to 6:45 range. I did not bring enough fluid (just a half liter amphipod filled with nuun) and was pretty dehydrated by the end. Thankfully, a college soccer team was practicing near where I finished and offered me a bottle of water for my jog home (I poured half of it over my head to cool down). I wouldn't say that I hit the wall, but I was certainly dragging through this one. I had difficulty keeping my head in it as I went through miles 7-9 thinking about how I wasn't even halfway through. Long runs in July are quite different than when I was training for the Frederick Marathon back in January-April. It was certainly a learning experience. I took an ice bath when I got home and then mowed the lawn. I tried to take in fluids during the rest of the day. My left calf is stiff again. I'm thinking that this may be related to continued running when my legs are fatigued and this one really sapped 'em. It isn't painful (yet), but I'll be keeping an eye on it.
Sunday - A 1 hour bike spin. I'm pretty tired from Saturday's run and my calf is tight. I hit the bike trainer in my basement for an hour and watch some bad TV.
The week went well for the most part and I was able to complete all of my workouts at a satisfactory level. The slow pace of Saturday's long run is probably to be expected in such heat and because I have been sustaining a fairly rigorous daily regiment. I am frustrated, however, that my calf is again tightening up on me (it was an issue again during my 8-mile run on Monday the 14th). I will have to be careful to make sure that it doesn't get worse and severely impact my training. Luckily, I have a cut-back week coming up so I'll try and make sure that I allow my muscles to build back up. Here's a preview: 
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