This week was my first real return to a regular training schedule since the marathon. I ran for 23.5 miles this week, with runs on Tuesday (3.7M), Wednesday (6.8M), Thursday (4.7M), and today's Long Run (8.3M). Tuesday focused on Speed Work with run segments at 9:15/mm and recovery segments at 10:15/mm; all-in-all a very good interval workout. Wednesday was an easy run (except for the part where I almost got bit by a dog whose owner just stood there doing nothing to intervene). Thursday was a Tempo Run at 9:54/mm which felt great.
Today was my Long Run. Long Runs are supposed to be slow, right? Not to mention the fact that next weekend is a Half Marathon so technically I am supposed to be tapering. Well, today I ran with my Road Runners group and they are all way faster than I. Since we are now just doing group runs with no pacers, I went out really fast with them for the first 1/2 mile (between 8:30-9:00/mm pace). Good thing I did my speed work this week!
Then I reminded myself that this was 'stupid' and that I needed to slow down. It would be bad to get injured right before a race. So I slowed down to an average 10:45/mm pace for the remainder of the run. But even still, that is probably 30 seconds too fast for my Slow Run. But I kinda fell into a comfortable groove and kept with it. It was a nice run nevertheless, and, it gave me a good sign that I am ready for the upcoming Indianapolis Monumental Half that I am running with a WISHer teammate named Kipp.
Running a Half Marathon on one day, followed by a Full Marathon the next day is just plain "Goofy"!
So from a training perspective, this was a good solid week. I think it is safe to say that I am "Training for the Future" -- that future being the Disney Marathon Weekend and its Goofy Challenge. That leaves 11 more weeks of training, which includes 3 Half Marathons and several back-to-back Long Runs, to get used to what the Goofy Challenge will feel like. I am using the Halfs as 'training runs' so I won't be running them hard but, rather, folding them into my back-to-back trainings.
My training plan will pick up at the Half Marathon distance and work back up to Marathon distance. I will stick with 3 running workouts each week, one day of cross-training, and my Long Run on the weekend. I will keep Monday and Saturday as Rest Days to bracket my Long Run (except for those back-to-back runs).
My Long Run schedule will look something like this:
- Nov 3 - 13.1 (Half Marathon race)
- Nov 10 - 15 Miles
- Nov 18 - 6 Miles (cutback week)
- Nov 24 - 13.1 (Half Marathon race)
- Dec 1 - 6 Miles (back-to-back weekend)
- Dec 2 - 12 Miles
- Dec 9 - 6 Miles (cutback week)
- Dec 15 - 16 Miles (back-to-back weekend)
- Dec 16 - 13.1 (Half Marathon)
- Dec 22 - 18 Miles (after this, I begin my Taper period)
- Dec 29 - 10 Miles
- Jan 5 - 8 Miles (last Long Run before Disney Marathon Weekend)
On the two back-to-back weeks, I will only run on Tuesday and Thursday, and make them easy runs just to keep the legs relaxed. Of course, I may make adjustments as necessary based upon how I am feeling, if I need more recovery time, etc. I do not want to over-train so if I have to go into Marathon Weekend a bit under-trained but healthy, then that is what I will do.
I will be pacing these Long Runs at around 11:30-12:00/mm so as to not overstress the body and to improve my ability to burn fat rather than sugar. The good news is that I have not lost much of my marathon fitness since Oct 7th, so I am in a good starting point already. I just need to maintain that level safely.
On Nov 3rd, I will reach 900 total miles for 2012! That is just so unbelievable to me. And yet so exciting! I will definitely exceed my 1000 Mile goal for 2012 some time in December. Imagine!