Cross-Post: New Goals

This time, I'm sticking to it.

No injuries -- it's structured to be easy enough on me so I don't add too much mileage too quickly but challenging enough that I'll be improving.

No "there's not enough daylight" or "it's too cold" or "it's too hot" excuses -- it's summertime, but the mornings are fine, and even then, I'll be in pretty decent condition by the time it really gets hot.

No "work/vacation/going out drinking got in the way of my training" excuses -- vacations are all figured in, and the runs are flexible enough to allow me to shift them around a bit.

So here's the plan, developed using every online tool and training schedule I could find. (I put myself between a basic and intermediate skill runner, because I know what it's like to work hard and to have some amount of speed. But I'm still pretty much starting from scratch.):
--I'm at 14 miles this week. Increase up to 10 percent a week, building a base and hitting a peak around 43 miles in early October.
--"Long run" is in there and plays a big role. Right now, it's only about 5 miles. Peak at 17 about three or four weeks before the goal race.
--Speed work planned in, though I haven't set out exactly what they'll be. After another 7 or 8 weeks of base, will start up about two months of fartlek and tempo runs to work on the speed. Then start -- potentially -- intervals in late September.
--Races in July (the relay -- probably a 6.5 mile leg, though could knock that down depending on how the group sets up the team), Labor Day (a 15K -- probably will run, rather than race this one), early October (another 15K -- this one will be raced) and mid-October (a 25K -- this one is definitely just going to be a run, not a race for me). Then finishing with The Half on Nov. 5. Haven't set a goal time. That'll come after seeing how I do in the shorter races. I could also incorporate some shorter races in there to work on speed.
--Rest days and easy recovery runs are an important part of the mix. Don't go more than five days straight without rest, and more often it's three or four days. Easy days will mean easy.

Wish me luck, kiddos. Expect periodic progress reports, whether they're times or how I'm feeling or how great my legs look.

Looking Ahead

Next weekend, I'll hit another milestone: six miles. The week's total will be about 25 miles or so. Once I cross 30 (and a 7-mile long run) and keep it up for four weeks, I'll begin to work some speed into runs. It'll be fartlek time. Woohoo!

Cold

Last weekend, it was running in the 40s. Today and tomorrow, it'll be running in the upper 20s (it's 27 degrees with a very light breeze right now). And I'm ready, with all kinds of wicking fabrics. Two light long-sleeve tops, one set of lightweight not-so-tight tights, one light windbreaker (waterproof but breathable).

Thank god for specialty running stores and the helpful people who work in them. Love you Luke's Locker!

Notes From Today....

You know that thing about not going swimming 30 minutes after eating? Make that 90 minutes and apply it to running.

Also, no heavy drinking at night. And no cigarettes whatsoever.

Preliminary Race Schedule

5K (3.1 miles) on March 25
5 mile on May 6
4 mile on June 4
15K (approx 9.3 miles -- a little more) Oct. 7; probably will just run this one -- not necessarily race it
Half marathon Nov. 5

Update

Three miles last night in 27 minutes. OK, considering the layoff from activity I had until this week. But it wasn't nearly that pretty -- I ran a positive split. Thirteen minutes out, 14 minutes back. I know I shouldn't be concerned about time, but I am to a certain extent -- it's a measure of how strong I am, and it's a way to determine how good the run was. Mix the time and the effort put into it (far too much last night), and you can feel the quality of the run.

So, long story short, if I were worrying about performance yet (I'm not -- just putting in miles to get back into shape) I wouldn't be happy.

Back

Fatty over here is going to go out for a jog this afternoon. Wanna join me?

Pain. Good Pain.

I've developed a couple of future blisters under a couple of callouses. (That word looks funny, but I'm not sure I've spelled it right, but I'm not going to look it up.) They feel good, to tell you the truth. It's like payoff for the miles I've put in. Something to prove it.

They're nothing I can't deal with. And nothing that won't go away after another few months. Hell -- I remember the days that each of my toes and all over my feet had strange thick skin -- protection against the beating I provided them. And then track season would arrive -- run in normal shoes through the week, then the godawful spikes every Thursday. Ugh.

So anyway.....I woke up today with the most horrendously sore legs. Not from the 8.75 miles I ran in 71 minutes. No. It was the dancing I did six hours later. Felt fine at the time. But not so pretty today, until I slogged out a four-miler as a recovery run of sorts.