Run Goal Reached. But at What Cost?

Since the first day that I read Gordo's site (Paul C turned me on to it) I locked on to this:

Says Gordo: I hit all of these before I ran 2:46 at IMC in 2004.
***Race distance at 3x daily average
***Three consequtive weeks inside the last twelve at 50+ miles
***Highest output run day (length and training load) five weeks out from race
***Last ten weeks 12-20% of distance is done at goal pace

So that three consecutive weeks at 50+ miles is what I've been working on the last three weeks. Today I completed the goal by finishing my third week with 50+ miles per week (50 exactly, in fact).

This is a good thing. I'm happy about it. I wanted to have a good run base going into the race. I do however have some concerns. Were my three weeks too close to the event (two weeks now)? Did I get enough quality speed into the workouts? Did I back off on the bike too much while pursuing the run goal?

The first week started with a treadmill test that destroyed any run confidence I had. But I remained consistent, turning out about 8 miles per day and then I did a long run day that Friday in Connecticut. I had a few cycling workouts in there but nothing major. Of course, the day before I started this cycle I completed the Six Gap Century. At the end of this week I did a plyos session with no weight vest.

The second week started with yet another treadmill test that destroyed any remaining run confidence I had. I could feel the effects of the plyo workout. I did not remain consistent and in the first two days of the week only turned out ten miles total. But I had a good 23 mile run in the middle of that week to get the mileage up. From there I limped my way to the end of the 50 miles. Not much cycling to speak of during the week but I did end with a long slow megaworkout at the end that brought 112 miles of biking. And after that workout I did a plyos workout with the weight vest to completely destroy my muscles.

The third week I was determined not to kill my morale with a treadmill test. But I did want to keep treadmill work in the mix because I was working on leg turnover. On Monday my legs were still killing me from the plyos workout. I did a good job of getting about ten miles a day done early in the week. I also hit my core hard with ab work. My abs were sore the rest of the week. Long hard (but not fast) run on Wednesday of 16 miles. Another hard and very slow treadmill run on Thursday of 10 miles. Then a hard bike and mod hard run on Friday (today) to cap things off at 50 miles.

Each weekend I did nothing. Two solid days of rest. That's what I'm planning on doing this weekend. Resting.

It was a solid three weeks of work. Whether or not it was the right three weeks of work is never certain. But I hit a goal I had been thinking about all season. Can't complain about that. My running does feel better. But only time will tell whether or not I'll see any leg turnover from it. I still feel slower than I have been in the past... on minimal run-only training.