I was planning to do all sorts of things for Monday but didn't get to do anything in the end. And I was bit mad about it after but it is what it is.
Starting the week with one of my favorite workouts probably - about an hour easy and then some strides that I still run like sprints. Well it's only 30sec with usually 5 reps so why not to go all in if I don't have any other speed work. I was curious how I'm gonna feel after the big weekend and surprisingly I felt great! I was really excited about this run and I got soaked by sprinklers again haha. And after yesterday's fail with not doing anything, I added an extra hour of strength. Didn't want to, but did it anyways.
I woke up as usual, had my coffee and a toast and went to get ready. That's when I usually check the weather so I know how to dress for my run. Opened the app and what I see...this weather warning for really REALLY bad air quality. And I'm like shiiiiit, I completely forgot about this! I checked few other sites/apps but all of them were saying it's really bad and I shouldn't go outside at all. But it was saying that it should improve by the afternoon/evening. So I went back to bed :D. Hoping that I can do my run after work. I had intervals. Got home, no change. My treadmill is old. I tried if it can even go as the speed I was planning to run these. I mean, it could but it didn't sound very good. Anyways. I got ready. 30mins warm up. I felt terrible running on it. But you just gotta do it right. So I'm going slow as heck feeling like I'm running 5:30 pace but in fact doing like 7:10 :D. And while I kept running I also kept thinking how the hell am I gonna do 3x5mins on this... And then I also thought...well it's only 3x 5mins. I can probably go quickly outise, run those intervals just around the house and come home and finish the workout on the treadmill. It can't be that bad outside, I've run in something similar before and not even 25mins won't do anything...right?! So I went for it. Running outside after running for 30mins on treadmill was terrible. Like my legs felt like jello, I couldn't find a rhythm at first and I had to run fast right away. It's also slightly uphill. I was dead after the first 5mins. Like done. I didn't have issues breathing but my legs were just on fire. The second interval was luckily bit downhill so that helped. Third one same as first. DYING!!! Shiiiiit. That was one of the hardest workouts ever. And I wasn't even done yet. I still had to do like 10mins on the treadmill. So I started running at home again. 4mins in and my left hip starts to hurt. I'm like It's okayyyy...it will go away... well it did not. I didn't wanna stop, I wanted to finish those few more mins but it was getting worse and it wasn't worth it so I stopped. It didn't hurt while walking but all this off treadmill, outside, on treadmill wasn't definitely the best. But I got my workout done. I gotta say tho, I started coughing after I showered.
After that crazy workout yesterday I decided to sleep in a little bit and leave strength for the evening. My lungs felt weird all day. No shortness of breath or coughing really but I could definitely feel there is something off. So I guess only 25mins outside can screw you up too. Yikes. Well too late now...Had to force myself to do the strength, really wasn't into it but got it done anyways. I was kinda sore and achy.
Ugh, it was really tough to get out of the bed today. Body is tired. "Luckily" for me, the air quality improved so there was no excuse not to go. I had another longer run. As soon as I started I knew it's not gonna be easy. I was moving slow but it felt hard. Even if I wanted to, I couldn't go any faster, it was stupid. It was warm and humid and kinda eerie around the reservoir. Friday the 13th! I got it done but it wasn't pretty, easy or nice. I'm definitely questioning my choices for tomorrow. Not to mention that my left heel/achilles has this "thing".
I didn't wanna do Grotto again like coach suggested for today's long run with lot of vert. Triple Crown has almost the same elevation gain like Grotto and Lady Mac so why not try this again - I've done it before, in 2023 but with Grotto when Lady Mac was still closed. The OG Triple Crown is Lady Mac, EEOR and Ha Ling. I started with Lady Mac. I was feeling okay. The uphill was going okay but it was a battle between "Don't push it, you gonna have to do 2 other mountains later!" and "You can't go this slow either, that's ridiculous!" maybe I found the middle ground, maybe I have not. But I got to the bench around the same time as the last time I did it. I went all the way to the false summit cause I thought if something happens and I won't do the Triple Crown, at least I will have this one "summit". The 2 times prior I really didn't have any issues to pick the right way up. But for some reason this time I did. I was going back and forth, couldn't find the "right" way up and it was very frustrating. One step up, two steps down. Stupid scree. I eventually scrambled up. Had the summit to myself. Took few pics and was on my way down. Way easier. I kept repeating: light on your feet. Be light on your feet. Don't push the downhill, don't thrash your quads, you still have 2 more mountains to climb. I finished in 2:46 and that's my fastest time out of the 3 attempts. Whoa. I tried to be as fast as possible with refilling my water etc and driving to EEOR/Ha Ling. The break is nice but also too long so your legs get stiff. Okay, up to EEOR. I was dreading this a bit. I don't like that trail at all. It's bit scary at few spots for me. But it went okay. I actually bypassed one of the scary sections and told myself I have to remember this spot and go the same way down. It was slow going but I was going. It's just relentless and it feels like it's getting worse and worse, especially when you hit that section with somewhat scree, loose rocks and dirt. I felt bit bonky so I tried to have one gel. It didn't want to go down. I almost threw up twice while trying to swalllow the gel. Body was like NOPE, not having it, but mind was like YESSS, we need this! I got it down but it was weird, this happened before with Huma gels, multiple time and I haven't used them on trails since, so I hope this was just this one time cause I like Precision mainly because it has 30g of carbs. Anyways. It got busy near the final part to the summit. I wasn't as scared as I usually am there. Made it up, took few pic, talked to this group and went down. Met Justin, talked to him a bit and then was on my way down. And got lost again. Cliffed out and had to take this sketchy sort of trail. I'm pretty sure I got lost exactly at the same spot as that one time before. Oh well. It slowed me down a bit but eventually found the main trail. Little break to refill bottles and I was on my way up Ha Ling. And I was going! It wasn't a death march like the last few times I was there. I was passing people on the first 2K's or so. I was honestly crying a little bit cause I couldn't believe how good I was feeling. It was magical. Wheels fell off a bit after the first set of stairs and then it got bit harder but I still summited and even went bit up towards Miners to hit the 2900m of elev.gain haha. Unfortunately my stomach started to hurt and running downhill was very uncomfortable. I was bit pissed cause I really wanted to go but I was feeling like crap and any faster movement was making it worse. But after a bit I said F it and kinda went for it. It evetually went away! Like it didn't get worse! By then my legs were cooked tho haha. But what a day! The OG Triple Crown. So glad I went for this cause I really needed day like this in a really long time so this was absolutely perfect.
Lady Mac: 10.23K, 1187m EG, 2:46
EEOR: 6.2K, 906m EG, 2:40
Ha Ling: 8.1K, 808m, 2:07
7:34 moving on the mountains, 8:30 total time
Ugh, I was bit procrastinating after working a bit in the morning and taking Lucy for almost an hour walk, I still had to do my recovery shuffle. The weather wasn't looking great, storms coming in...great. But I went, everything hurt. But I didn't get rained on. Another week done.
68K + some walking / 12:27 TOF
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