Summer 2009 - week eight

Another solid week of training is in the books based on the comments reported. Now we find week eight in front of us with the highest volume of the summer. Make a commitment to get the miles in, adjusting the intensity if needed. Also, let's give a little focus to the fartlek effort on Monday's. I really want to encourage you to use the fartlek as an opportunity to explore the finesse side of running, making it less a structured workout (i.e. x number of minutes times y number of reps) and more of a workout by feel. Use the terrain, flow up and down the hills, push the pace at times, float along for recovery, and then push again when ready. Mix it up with the hills and turns of your route. And for the week, as always, make sure your really devoting yourself to a routine that lends itself to success.

A note about the comments section. Everyone has a responsibility to our team to present themselves fit and ready for the upcoming season come the start of the semester. Posting our weekly efforts adds an element of accountability. In addition, it fosters an environment of motivation and encouragement. In my opinion, it's not a chore to post your weekly results, it's an honor. Just my two cents...

EC offering for the week is againg 3 x 15'.

On a final note, Veronica emailed me a link to an article titled "Chocolate Milk: the new sports drink?" (http://www.webmd.com/fitness-exercise/news/20060224/chocolate-milk-new-sports-drink) The article details a recently completed study. Check it out. A couple of notes from the article are highlighted below:

"...milk contains key nutrients, such as calcium and vitamin D, in quantities that sports drinks can't match."

"The findings suggest that chocolate milk has an optimal ratio of carbohydrates to protein to help refuel tired muscles..."

Thanks Veronica! Recovery is just as important to your development as the training we do!

Summer 2009 - week seven

Week seven brings another increase in volume as you continue building up to the highest level of volume for the summer. Keep the quality efforts up decently but remember to stay well within yourself. If you aren't already 'living like a clock', now would be a great time to do so. Rest and recovery are so important. And hydration and proper nutrition play such a vital role in recovery and compensation. You need nutrition very soon after your efforts, remember you have about a 45' window of opportunity to really jumpstart recovery. Pay attention to all the 'small things', which in fact aren't so small after all.

Extra Credit offering for the week is 3 x 15'.