Tempo Success!

Goal:
10 Mile Tempo at 600-605

Actual:
3 miles warmup
8 miles at 6:32 average (fastest split was only 6:20)
2 miles cool down at 7:00 pace

pm:  4.5 miles for 17.5 miles total for day

I could choose to look at this workout as a fail, but I chose to look at it as a success.  I didn't give up and I did what I could with what I've got.  And what I've got is low iron and an annoying hamstring.  Fortunately yesterday, Dr. Greenapple was kind enough to spend over an hour with me, performing ART, cupping, acupuncture and finally kinesio tape.  I know that the treatment will start working it magic in a couple of days, not overnight.  So, regardless, my hamstring was still a little tight and tired from general overuse combined with strength exercises from the night before by the time I met up with Aaron at McMullen.

Aaron's legs were tired from a couple of back-to-back high mileage weeks, so he was okay with whatever I had in the tank.  We ran through the perfectly flat trail at McMullen, not really looking at splits and still keeping up some semblance of a conversation.  I could still talk, but my legs felt like glue.  Sure, it was fabulous and I didn't hit my goal times, but I cranked through.  Right now, finding the motivation to complete a workout is tough since I know the time will be slower, but if I just get in the effort, everything will fall into place in a couple of weeks. I left this workout trusting that I got in a good effort (can 6:20 on low ferritin equate to 5:55 with normal ferritin?  I think so)

After 8 miles of work, we slowed it down a bit to cool down and both of us were equally happy to be done with the up tempo portion. Some days are meant to feel harder than others and today was definitely like that, but I still came out of it feeling really positive about how I approached the workout and how I got in some uptempo work!

The Answer: Iron Depletion!

For those of you who don't know, I've struggled with maintaining an adequate iron level for my entire running career.  In fact, I first found out about the effects of low iron on running during my sophomore year of high school, where I struggled to run faster than 6:30 pace in races.  I couldn't breathe when going up hills and I was gasping for oxygen if the pace ever got fast.  The first doctor I saw diagnosed me with exercise induced asthma.  After the inhaler didn't work, we saw another medical professional who found out that I had a ferritin level of 3, which almost required hospitalization for an iron infusion. 

If you don't anything about iron, I'll give you a quick lesson.  Iron has two essential components:  hemoglobin and ferritin.  Hemoglobin carries oxygen to your blood.  Ferritin helps the body store and transport iron.  Without iron, it feels like all the energy has been zapped from your body. Taken from one source: "In athletes, Iron Deficiency Anemia can lead to dramatic and measurable decrease in athletic performance, work capacity, reduced VO2max—and this effect is reversed when iron supplements are taken."   

I struggle with maintaining a reasonable ferritin level.  Some people may say it's because I'm a vegetarian, but I don't believe that eating meat will magically increase my iron levels.  After all, I was able to get my iron level to a 53 in March of this year, which is the best level I've ever had.  I clearly didn't start eating meat for the first time in 25 years during that time.  Instead, I started eating more leafy greens and beans. 
 
I have such a history with iron depletion that I have maintained an excel spreadsheet to track my levels since 2004 (see picture below).  The general ferritin level that female athletes strive for is above 20, and this is still on the lower end of the spectrum.  The average ferritin level I've had since 2004 is just 17.95.  My current level is a 5.  For me, I feel like magic if I'm above 15.  I also know that whenever I get below 10, I will experience the fatigue that is associated with iron depletion.  The results of low ferritin levels for runners are significant and I've experienced them too often for my own taste.  Symptoms?  Abnormal exhaustion, increased blood lactate, slow recovery, declining performances, heavy legs, muscular tightness, loss of motivation, and substantially increased risk of injury.
 
The good news is that all I have to do is increase my iron supplement (fortunately I have a tough stomach and can take a lot) and focus on eating all the iron-rich vegetarian foods that I already know about: kale, lentils, black beans, dried apricots.  After that, the iron level should jump up within 2-3 weeks.  The key is to understand that I will probably need to adjust my target paces for most of my workouts.  The best part is that the effort will still be there and should carryover once I start feeling better.  When that happens, I should feel like I just got back to sea level from running at altitude!  I also know that if I gradually ease into the pace, I usually can maintain a speedy clip. 
 
Cheers to understanding iron depletion and for not being injured!

11x1 min on/off

Goal: 10x1 min with 1:30 rest
Actual: 11x1 min with 1:15 rest

For my second workout back after the marathon, I opted for a simple and light fartlek of 11x1 min with 1:15 rest. I was fortunate enough to have the company of Thomas for the run, so we met at my house at 620am. I enjoyed the conversation with Thomas, but seemed to have trouble breathing. I felt like I was gasping for air and that I needed to stop talking to conserve more energy. I'm guessing it's the change in weather that's affecting me.

We warmed up for about 20 minutes and started when the Garmin beeped at us. After looking at my splits, we got faster for the last 5, so that was a good sign. We also ran an extra one because I apparently don't understand the Garmin's timed workout setting. While my breathing felt off, my hip flexors did not cause me any discomfort this morning, and it felt like most of the aches in my legs are gone. Overall, it was a successful workout and I can walk away from it with confidence, especially given the fact that I haven't done something super speedy in a while. I think I like the longer stuff better though. :o)

PS. I got my blood drawn yesterday for a check on my iron, Vitamin B12, and Vitamin D levels. Should get the results back early next week. Keep in mind that my highest ferritin level ever was a 25 and my lowest ever was a 4. Last time I got it checked in May, I was at a 10. Obviously, high iron levels are not my strong suit.

Post Workout Grub - Sesame Tofu with Liquid Aminos

I've been reading a book that my dad gave me last year called The China Study. It revolves around the forty years of research and data that T. Colin Campbell gathered regarding the advantages of eating plant-based proteins and the misconceptions around animal-based proteins. Basically, you can get all of the essential proteins in plant-based foods and will even make for a better recovery. I know that could be a controversial topic for some of you meat-eaters out there, but once you read this book and all of the information that he gathered to support his hypothesis, you might become a believer too.

The reason why I'm sharing this with you is because I'm seriously rethinking the ways that I get my protein. Scott Jurek is one of the best ultramarathoners in the USA and he is a vegan. All of his protein comes from plants. If my vegan wonder boy/hero can do it, then so can I! Therefore, on my last trip to Trader Joe's I did not stock back up on my favorite extra sharp cheddar cheese, and instead replaced it with a purchase of extra firm organic tofu and a bag of sesame seeds. Instead of throwing cheese on my spinach salads now, I toss in the tofu that I made with olive oil, sesame seeds, and liquid aminos.

It could be just a mental thing, but I've felt better since doing so. As a result, my dad would be thrilled to know that I'm going to revert back to my high school days and really limit the amount of dairy I consume. Really that means I will be dramatically decreasing my consumption of cheese, eggs, and yogurt from my diet to more healthy levels (only 5% of my protein intake and the other 15% plant-based). I'll eat it occasionally, but not often. If I don't feel recovered or if I'm not making the right nutrition decisions, then I'll obviously switch back to my vegetarianism habits. Of course, I'm going to continue to check on my iron regularly. Unfortunately, my ferritin level has been stagnant at a low level of 10 for the past four months.