last bazillion weeks

What I've been doing. The last 3 weeks are a virtual guess as I got in the habit of not wearing my garmin and then not writing down the time or distance.

Big picture is the last couple of months I've been doing the lunge matrix before and after at least half my runs. I was doing pilates regularly (10 minutes with Denise Austen DVD) in May but have been off the wagon this month.

In June I started to follow coach squires SWEP book alpha phase level 11, but have blown it the last couple of week. At the same time I've slowly introduce and now run a good bit in zero drop Saucony shoes (Hattoris). During this time, I've also been concentrating on minimizing ground contact time by not allowing myself to rest in the stance phase (basically increasing turnover) and constantly working. I'm a bit sore with these changes and have dropped mileage while I build up.

week of 4 April

Mo - jog 2 miles @ 9:30 [recovery from Cherry Blossom]
Tu - 7 easy @ 9:12 on treadmill
We - 9 easy @ 9:15 on treadmill
Th - 6.2 easy @ 8:30 in neighborhood -- always want to run faster outside
Fr - 10 @ 8:51 on treadmill including 6 x 5' at 7:30/3 deg incline w/ 5' at 10:00/0 deg include rest
Sa - 6.2 @ 8:31 in neighborhood
Su - 9.1 @ 8:05 on lake trail including 6x1' pickups at maybe HM pace over last 30 minutes (roughly every 5 minutes)

Week - 49.6
Week comments: Been doing pilates 10' core routine from Denise Austen pilates DVD 3-4x /week for past month or so, but never logged it.

Week of 11 April

Mo - 7.92 @ 8:44
Tu - 6.2 @ 9:20
We - treadmill 8.0 @ 9:30
Th - treadmill 8.0 @ 9:30 including 6x1' at 9mph (6:40) with 2:40 rest at 6mph (10:00)
Fr - 6.15 0:55:05 8:57 138 (69%)
Sa - rest
Su - wup 0.23 miles (porta john outprioritized my warmup), Pike's Peek 10k in 39:35!
Week - 42.8
Week comments: My faster-than-normal easy pace running the previous week, combined with residual fatigue from Cherry Blossom, and running a bit too fast hard on my friday workout left me pretty sore early in the week, so I took it easy.

Week of 18 April

Mo - 2 mile jog -- more sore from 10k than 10 miler
Tu - 6 @9:25 on treadmill
We - 7.9 @ 8:39 - still easy
Th - 3 @ 10:00 on treadmill -- hamstrings sore, too much, too soon on Wed
Fr - 7.9 @ 8:51
Sa - 5.9 @ 9:02
Su - 10.3 @ 8:36 including 4x1' @ about HM effort w/ 3' rest -- moderate effort with temp @79 degrees!
Week - 43 miles
Week comments: Sore this week and didn't push it. I've been playing it by ear race-to-race for a while and consequently not getting in much mileage, but I seemed to race myself into shape. Not sure how long I can keep this peak this way though.

Week of 25 April

Mo - 6 @ 9:26 treadmill
Tu - 7.9 @ 8:41
We - 7.8 @ 7:54 including 5 x 1k @10k with 300m jog rest. 70 degrees and 65 dp. 3:58, 3:55, 3:58, 3:58, 4:08. Felt too hard on the 2nd to last so ran the last relaxed w/o looking at watch. 4:00/k is not 10k pace when 70 degrees!
Th - 7 @ 9:26 treadmill
Fr - 9 @ 8:49
Sa - 6 @ 9:45 treadmill
Su - 10 @ 8:30 including last 2.5 at ~7:40 pace
Week - 52.6

Week of 2 May

Mo - 6 @ ~9:30
Tu - 8.5 including 7 x 1 @ 6:40 with 3:00 rest
We - 6 @ ~9:30 ???? (think I did this and didn't write it down)
Th - 6.1 @ 8:43
Fr - rest
Sa - 6' wup, 10k in 40:20, 2' cdn
Su - 9 on trail

Week: 42.6
Week comments: 10k was strange. Pretty calm wind and a super flat course, but the race started a little late (~7:45) and it was 59 degrees and full sun on exposed airfield at 8am which is a little warm for my Swedish blood. There were no mile markers until mile 5, so I went by the garmin. I was about 6:23 at 1st mile and then slowed to 6:27 overall by mile 5 (6:26 is 40-minute pace). There was a big gap in front of me so I was running alone and having to yell to volunteers to find out which way to go as they were turned around directing the 5k runners who started 10 minutes later. One pointed me the wrong way and I had to turn around when they yelled after me -- only lost ~5 seconds though -- but it was around mile 5. I hit the lap button at mile 5 finally (the first with a mile marker) and saw ~6:45 pace -- which I hadn't done that. I was shocked though when the clock said 39:44 when I crossed. I quick look at the watch showed 40:20 though and that's how it ended up in the results.

Week of 9 May

Mo -6
Tu - 8.6
We - 7
Th - 8.6
Fr - 10.4
Sa - 3.5
Su - 12.3
Week - 56.4
Week comments: Went to all easy this week to get my volume up a little.

Week of 16 May

Mo - 6 @ 10:00 TM
Tu - 8 @ 9:15 TM
We - 7 @ 9:39
Th - 6 @ 9:56
Fr - 0
Sa - 5.44 @ 8:38 springfield loop
Su - 9.7 @ 9:38 TM
Week - 42.1

Week of 23 May

Mo - Rest -- up too late working
Tu - 7.40
We - 4.50
Th - Rest -- dog kept me up all night; turned out the poor thing had a scratched cornea
Fr - 8.00
Sa - 6
Su - 6 -- didn't get usual long run b/c of daughter's soccer tournament
Week - 31.9
Week comment: Least mileage since I was hurt last fall and least non-hurt, non-marathon-recovery, mileage in maybe 5 years.

Week of 30 May

Mo - 8.2 @ 9:05 TM
Tu - 6 mi at 10:00 alternating incline every mile -- 2 deg, 0, 3, 0, 4, 0
We - 6 @ 9:33 TM
Th - Rest? (didn't record anything for this day)
Fr - 6.14 @ 8:47 nbrhd loops
Sa - 7.23 @ 8:42 springfield loop
Su - 11.74 @ 8:42 fartlek SR to Burke lake -- 1' 1' 2' 1' 1' 2' pickups every 5'
Week - 45.3
Week comments: started doing alpha phase level 11 of http://www.speedwithendurance.com/ book on Sunday

Week of 6 June

Mo - 5 @ 9:42 TM
Tu - 7.9 @ 9:02 carleigh
We - 7.49 @ 9:12 dam out and back including 6x1' hills and 4 8'' hill sprints by dam
Th - 7.86 @ 8:56 carleigh
Fr - 10 @ 9:46 on treadmill
Sa - 3.72 @ 9:53 nbhrd -- first 0.5 in new hattoris
Su - 12 @ 9:28 -- 70 minutes + 1', 1', '2, 1', 1', 2' pickups at 7:03 (8.5 mph) every 5 minutes. 1st mile in Horratis. Rest in Frees.
Week - 54.0
Week comment: continued alpha phase of S.W.E.P. Trying new zero-drop shoes

Week of 13 June

Mo - 4 @ 9:26 ft belvoir afternoon
Tu - 8.07 @ 8:40 at belvoir (no watch, time a guess)
We - 7.9 @ 8:11 carleigh
Th - 7.85 @ 8:56 carleigh
Fr - ??
Sa - 3??
Su - 12.44 @ 8:54 to and around burke including including 1' 1' 2' 1' 1' 2' ever 5' pickups
Week - 43.3
Week comment: never wrote anything down for Fr and Sa but think I ran one or both. Put 3 for Sa (before swim meet). Wore hattoris during this week (I think on Fr and Sa) but not sure how much

Week of 20 June

Mo - 3.5 @ 9:26
Tu - 7.0 @ 8:56 springfield loop + 6 x strides at school
We - 6 @ 9:10
Th - 2.16 @ 8:59 nbhr loop + 6 x strides. Short b/c of early meeting. hattoris
Fr - early meeting
Sa - 5.0 @ 8:34 nbhrd - first 3.2 in hattoris
Su - 8.96 @ 8:14
Week - 32.7
Week comment: bah. run beginning of Mo and We in hattoris I think. The non-garmin stuff is kinda a guess. Suppose I should write it down at the time. Anyway, I increased the mileage on the hattoris. The two laps around I concentrated on minimizing ground contact time and always working to pick up the puppies and put them down as fast as I could. (I had read this article.

Week of 27 June

Mo - 6 @ 9:00
Tu - 6 @ 9:00
We - 6 @ 9:00
Th - 6 @ 9:00
Fr - 8 @ 8:55
Sa - 7 @ 8:50 -- middle 4 at 7 mph (8:34)
Su - 7.9 @ 9:07 -- carleigh easy in frees. Last .75 in bare feet b/c getting blister between toes
Week - 46.9
Week comment: work hattoris for entire runs on Fr and Sa and much of runs earlier in week. The 6 per day on Mo - Th is a total guess. I think I ran every day but can't remember how much. 6 is close enough I guess. I ran faster than normal all week continuing to try and not be lazy and minimizing ground contact. A bit sore and took it easy in old shoes (frees) on Sunday.

racing season is over

94 degrees yesterday and no chance of a decent race anytime soon, so I'll declare the sub-40 by 40 chase over.

I managed to run 39:35 at Pike's Peek downhill with a tailwind, so I guess I can declare victory on the sub-40 by 40? We'll have to put an asterisk.

I made another attempt on a loop course at the Manassas Airport 10k, but only ran 40:20. It was low 60s by the end and totally sunny, which is sadly way too warm for me. I also lost about 5 seconds when a volunteer sent me the wrong way right around mile 5. I was actually on schedule at mile 5 but gave up 20 seconds in the last mile. I ended up winning M40-44 despite being 39 because it was a tri club and they use your birthday at the end of the year. Finished 7th OA.

When I get a chance, I'll cut and paste my logs here. Suffice it to say that I've totally slacked off the last couple of weeks and only managed 32 miles last week.

week of 28 March

Mo - treadmill easy 5.7 @ 9:39
Tu - threshold - 8.5 including 3 x 1600 w/500 rest in 6:20, 2:48, 6:31, 2:50, 6:20 (10k, 10M, 10k pace)
We - treadmill easy 6 @ 9:20
Th - rest
Fr - treadmill easy 5 @ 9:30 with 6 short "strides" (punch 10 mph on mill)
Sa - rest
Su - 0.9 wup, Cherry Blossom 10 miler in 1:06:17, 0.5 cooldown

Week - 36.6

Sharp taper this week out of Hudson's half marathon plan. I thought it worked very well. Got home at 12:30am on Fr and 11:30pm on Sat because of children's activities and got up at 4:50am on Sunday, so had a splitting headache all day Saturday and until right before the race (miracle of adrenaline). Legs felt good warming up before the race.

Cherry Blossom

I had a pretty good race, but didn't get the desired PR (65:55/6:35 pace), so that ends my streak of 10M PRs at Cherry Blossom.

Basically I went out too fast and died. But I felt so good early on! 6:38, 6:30, 6:24, 13:05 (4&5), 6:34, 6:35, 6:40, 6:49, 6:58. 1:06:17, so missed it by 23 seconds. After mile 9, I was exactly on pace and only had to run one more 6:35 to PR, but I was headed in the wrong direction. I didn't feel like I was redlining, but I suddenly just didn't have any pop in my stride. I put in a surge after the mile marker, but looked at my garmin a minute later and was still only 6:45 pace. Knowing I wasn't going to make it, I probably backed off a hair in the last mile although keeping under 7 minutes was some motivation. I have to kick myself for that 6:24 2nd mile, but it certainly felt good at the time :-) A smarter race and I might have PR'd. Overall it was a good race though and I'm in near-PR shape, so I stand a good chance at getting the sub-40 10k I'm after.

week of 21 March

Mo - 4 easy @10:00 on treadmill
Tu - 7.9 easy @ 8:49
We - 12 easy @ 9:48 on treadmill
Th - 6 easy @ 9:46 on treadmill
Fr - 9.4 @ 8:48 including 6 x 90sec hills (progressing 10k effort to probably 800m effort)
Sa - 6 easy @9:38 on treadmill 0:57:49 9:38
Su - 11.4 easy @ 8:54
Week - 56.8

Signed up for two more races:

Pike's Peek 10k - 17 April
Manassas Runway 10k - 7 May

Piece of Cake 10k - 41:01

Elevation profile/Pace chart pretty much tell the story. I also started to dog it a bit as the HR graph reveals in the second half as I knew I didn't have a shot. Average pace was 6:36. I'll need 6:35 for 10 miles to PR at Cherry Blossom. Surprisingly, I'm going to say that's "not crazy." It's a flat course and I'm better at 10 miles than 10k. I find it easier to be sub-threshold and hang on the last few miles than continuously try to keep myself above threshold.

week of 14 March

Mo - easy 6.00 0:58:00 9:40
Tue - easy 6.82 1:03:10. Aborted workout after 200 meters. Butt sore from last Friday workout and Sunday long run
Wed - easy 9.00 on treadmill 1:27:17 9:42
Th - easy 6.09 out and back 0:55:13 9:04 136 (68%)
Fr - easy 7.91 1:12:40 9:11. No workout. Not up to it and race on Sunday.
Sat - all day soccer event and race on Sunday made enough excuses
Sun - warmup 1.56 0:15:47 10:06, Piece of Cake 10k in 41:01 (hilly race), cooldown 0.76 0:07:25 9:43

This Week 44.45 6:40:33 9:01

week of 6 March

• Mo - tmill 6.00 0:57:00 9:30
• Tu - track 8.98 1:10:47 7:53 - speed endurance 4 x 1600 @10k w/500 jog in 6:18 (3:09/3:09), 6:18 (3:09/3:09), 6:19 (3:07/3:12), 6:21 (3:09/3:12). jog ~3min
• We - tmill easy 12.00 1:56:01 9:40
• Th - tmill easy 6.00 0:58:20 9:43
• Fr - track 8.89 1:08:53 7:45 - threshold 3 x 2400 @10-mile w/400m jog in 9:52, 9:45, 9:52 with rests of 2:21, 2:22. 9:50 = 6:35 pace. Last interval had start hard rate of 142 and max 180, so good recovery and pretty low hr. Didn't feel that hard.
• Sa - tmill easy 6.00 0:56:50 9:28
• Su - burke lake 3 lapper easy 13.68 2:01:36 8:53

This Week 61.55 9:09:27 8:56

Good week. First 60-mile week since November and the most mpw since last June. Track stuff indicates a decent shot at PRing at Cherry Blossom (65:55). Running a 10k on 20 March, but course looks like it will be hilly, so not sure sub-40 is possible there. Not enough 10ks around here!

Week of 28 Feb -- Disney sucks

Mo - 6.20 on Disney concrete and brick
Tu - fartlek w/6x 2' faster than 10k w/2' rest. First 5 on cart path before Disney folk kicked me off 8.00 1:05:00 8:08
We - 10 .00 1:30:00 9:00
Th - 6.60 1:00:00 9:05
Fr -6.20 1:00:00 9:41
Sa - home mill 6.00 0:59:10 9:52
Su - mill 12.00 1:54:51 9:34
This Week 55.00 8:29:01 9:15

Went to a conference at a Disney hotel. Kicked me off the nice 2.5-mile golf cart path because they were "worried I'd be hit by a ball" at 6:30 in the morning when the grass was being mowed. Instead I weaved in and out between pool furniture and trying to avoid being run over by those small service trucks on the designated Disney path that's about a whole 0.5 miles long and covered in the hardest substance known -- disney concrete.

Had a terrible cold all week and legs were so beat up by the surface, so I just did 6 easy instead of the workout on Friday.

Forgot my garmin, so times are with my analog Seiko and distances are a guess.

Week of 21 January

Mo - President's day. Easy 6 at Burke lake on day off
Tu - 9 on mill with hill reps, 6 x 2' @ 6 deg/8mph with 2' @ 6mph/0 deg rest
We - 12 easy on mill
Th - 6 easy on mill
Fr - 7.9 threshold outside: 2 wup, 4 in 7:14, 6:40, 6:49, 6:35 over hills, 1.9 cdn
Sa - 11.8 pretty easy at Burke Lake
Su - 6 easy on hotel mill
This Week - 58.73 8:57:10 9:09

Week of 14 February

Mo - easy + Magill drills 4.25 0:41:36 9:47
Tu - track 8.23 - 200-400-800-200-400-800-400 @ 10k, w/400 rest
We - easy 9.88 1:27:01 8:49 142 (71%)
Th - TM Easy 6.00 0:58:30 9:45
Fr - easy 3.91 @ 9:29 -- found new trail, not really runnable
Sa - 0.7 wup, 10k race in 41:01 -- crazy windy (24 gusting to 43)
Su - TM Easy 6.00 @ 9:45
This Week 45.26 6:37:38 8:47

Tuesday's workout
200-400-800-200-400-800-400 @ 10k, w/400 rest
4:00/k would be 48/96/3:12

Started too slow, ended too fast
49, 101, 3:15, 47, 95, 3:09, 94
Rests between 2:07 and 2:13

Pretty windy, but felt pretty easy. Max HR was 176 (on last 800).

By George 10k

http://www.runningfreeonline.com/Profile/Activity/ActivityId/483804/UserName/greg

41:00 for 10k this morning. The race was on Hains Point which is a peninsula separating the Potomac and Anacostia rivers, which is super flat and super fast... except when it's windy.

.. High Wind Warning remains in effect until 9 PM EST this
evening...
... Wind Advisory has expired...

The Wind Advisory is no longer in effect. A High Wind Warning
remains in effect until 9 PM EST this evening.


* Timing... 5 am to 9 PM... with the strongest winds between 10 am
and 5 PM.

* Winds... northwest 20 to 30 mph. Wind gusts up to 60 mph.

* Impacts... be prepared for power outages... and downed trees and
large branches. Ensure loose objects on your property are
secured or brought inside.

The wind was absurb. Double out and back course -- down Anacostia side, up Potomac side and back for 5k and do it again for 10k. I was running with these two girls and when we turned up the potomac side, it's like someone hit them in the stomach with a cannonball they shot back so fast. One time I was glad to have a few extra pounds. It was even worse the second time around. Laugh out loud wind guest ground you to a halt and you had to lean to the left just to stay upright.

Despite the 41:00, I think this was a pretty good race for me. I had more power in the last mile and ran a 20:24/20:36 splits (based on 5k turnaound cone). Splits were (in km)

Time Split time Distance Split pace Avg. HR
03:55 3:55 1.00 3:56 224 (112%)
07:55 3:59 2.00 4:00 237 (119%)
12:06 4:10 3.00 4:11 206 (103%)
16:00 3:54 4.00 3:54 181 (91%)
20:04 4:03 5.00 4:03 189 (95%)
24:04 4:00 6.00 4:00 185 (93%)
28:02 3:57 7.00 3:58 181 (91%)
32:19 4:17 8.00 4:17 181 (91%)
36:16 3:57 9.00 3:57 181 (90%)
40:29 4:12 10.00 4:12 181 (90%)
41:00 0:30 10.13 3:50 181 (91%)

HRM goofed up for the first few k, but you can see the wind after that 3:54/181 followed by 4:03/189. My HR was quite low for the end of a 10k (181 versus 188-190), so I may have dogged it a bit after I wasn't going to get sub-40. The good news is that my training seems to be going well. I honestly think if today were calm I'd have clicked off some pretty easy sub-4:00 k's in the beginning and made it at least very close.

week of 7 February

7 6.05 mi - 0:56:19

8 8 mi - 1:14:27

9 10 mi - 1:34:35

10 0 mi - 0:00:00

11 8.5 mi - 1:12:43

12 6.14 mi - 0:55:02

13 10 mi - 1:39:13

10.00mi - 1.6hrs 38.69mi - 5.9hrs

Mo - 6 easy. 1 hill sprint and decided wasn't up to it
Tu - 8 on TM including 8 x 1' @ 8mph 6 deg grade with 1' rest
We - 10 easy
Th - rest forced by work
Fr - 8.5 on TM including 15' @ 6:58, 5' rest, 5' @ 6:31, 3' rest, 5' @ 6:31
Sa - 6 easy in afternoon b/c of swim meet
Su - 10 easy after swim meet

week of 31 January

• Mo - tm 6 @ 10:00
• Tu - tm 8.5 fartlek including 15 x 1' @ 9.0 - 9.5 mph
• We - outside! 9.93 @ 9:11
• Th - tm 6 @ 9:40
• Fr - tm threshold 10 @ 8:39
• 30' @ 6-6.6 mph (10: - 9:00), 15' @ 8.6 mph (6:58), 5' @ 6 mph (10:00), 15' @ 8.6 mph (6:58), 20+ @ 6 mph
• Sa - tm 6 @ 9:28
• Su - tm fartlek 12 @ 8:59 including 2 sets of of 5 x 1' @ 9mph (6:40) w/1' recovery, 1 set of 5 x 2' @ 9mph, 5' rest between all sets, then 5 x 20' at 10mph (6:00) with full recovery
  

Total: 58.4, 8h55', 9:10 avg

Lots of stuff going on at work. Diet suffering and putting on weight.

week of 24 January

Mo - easy 5.30 0:52:00 9:49
Tu - 0 - didn't get any sleep
We - easy 12.00 1:51:33 9:18
Th - easy 6.00 0:56:46 9:28
Fr - threshold 8.20 1:08:10 8:19 - 4x7' w/ 3' on TM 6:58, 6:58, 6:53, 6:40
Sa - easy 6.00 0:56:31 9:25
Su - progression 10.03 1:21:45 8:09 - 20' hard end at end - 6:43 (7:01)/167, stopped at stop light, 1:42 (8:18), 7:12/171, 6:53/176

week 47.53 7:06:45

Everything on treadmill except Sunday. Not getting enough miles and gaining weight, but the sprinkling of quality might be paying off. Today's run went pretty well. The hard portion was very hilly and 2nd mile (7:12) was up a pretty steep hill but it was all somewhere between HM and marathon effort. Full splitsahol for today

Time Split time Distance Split pace Avg. HR Elev. chg.
0:09:19 9:19 1.00 9:20 172 (86%) 0
0:17:47 8:23 2.00 8:24 163 (82%) 0
0:26:39 8:36 3.00 8:37 156 (78%) +11
0:35:51 8:32 4.00 8:32 146 (73%) +39
0:43:49 7:58 5.00 7:58 148 (74%) -20
0:52:20 8:30 6.00 8:30 152 (76%) +25
0:57:41 5:21 6.63 8:30 143 (72%) -27
1:04:24 6:43 7.59 7:01 167 (83%) -9 -- steep rolling hills
Stopped at stop light
1:06:07 1:42 7.80 8:18 134 (67%) -23 -- jog before getting going again
1:13:20 7:12 8.80 7:13 171 (85%) +79 -- uphill with a couple descents
1:20:15 6:53 9.80 6:54 176 (88%) -17 -- rolling hills
1:22:45 2:30 10.03 10:30 160 (80%) -30

week of 17 January

With cherry blossom about 10 weeks away, I started my first full week of Hudson's half marathon training. Basically the format is sunday long run, monday easy with short hill sprints, tue speed-endurance, wed med long run, th easy, fri threshold, sat easy.

Threshold tempos are 2.5h pace, 1.5hr pace (HM) for me, and 1hr pace (a little faster the 10M pace for me).

All runs on TM this week except Monday.

• Mo - 6 easy w/ 4x8" hill sprints
• Tu - 8 mi w/8x1' 10k-3k pace on sched. I did on TM with 8x1' at 9mph (6:40) with last three at 9.3 mph(6:27)
• We - 10 easy
• Th - 6 easy
• Fr - Did 2 x 10' at 7:00 down to 6:40 I think with 5:00 rest.
• Sa - 7 easy
• Su - 10 w/ 10' near end at 6 deg and HR about 160bpm

Not going well this week. Big deadlines at work and I barely slept last night, so I bagged my run this morning.

I'm not religiously following the Hudson plans in the back of the book. I'm progressing the Su/Tu/Th runs as I feel I'm capable.

weeks of 3 and 10 January

3 6 mi - 1:00:00	4 8.1 mi - 1:19:51	5 7.82 mi - 1:08:50	6 7.82 mi - 1:09:29	7 8.57 mi - 1:13:21	8 8 mi - 1:16:39	9 8.5 mi - 1:11:23	54.81mi - 8.3hrs
10 4.5 mi - 0:45:01	11 9.58 mi - 1:16:22	12 4.6 mi - 0:45:00	13 8.16 mi - 1:09:58	14 6.2 mi - 1:00:06	15 8.4 mi - 1:17:33	16 11.01 mi - 1:33:23	52.46mi - 7.7hrs

Figured out how to cut and paste from runsaturday so that the links actually work.

Started running more "quality." I don't think my new job's going to allow me to pile on the miles like last year and it's going to take something to PR this year.

All runs are easy above except

9 Jan - aborted workout. Planned 18 x 2' @ marathon to HMP w/1' recovery, but my hamstring tightened up (10k after affects still) and I only did 4 of them before finishing the run easy

11 Jan - Did 9 Jan's workout.

13 Jan - Structured fartlek with 25 x 45 sec/15 sec recovery at somewhere between marathon and 10k effort (who knows?).

16 Jan - fartlek. 10 x 45 sec @ 10k-3k (probably 10k to 5k pace actually). Complete rest. Did the 45 sec about every 5 minutes.

The 16 Jan run was straight from "Run Faster from the 5k to the Marathon" by Brad Hudson and Matt Fitzgerald. After lots of indecision, I decided to use their half marathon plan for Cherry Blossom. It's 16 weeks, but I'm coming in at week 6. It should be OK, I think, though as the first part is the introductory period and seems to assume pretty low mileage. The schedule from here looks like it's in the 50's and peaks in the 60s. Sun long run, easy run with some very short hill sprints (e.g., 8x10 sec) on Monday, workouts Tu and Fr (the usual), medium length easy run (like 10 miles) on Wed., and easy on Fr and Sat. I'm glad to have finally settled on a plan.

I probably won't do the marathon in May. Might as well save it for the fall when it will count for NYCM. By the way, I had the auto-qualifier time wrong -- it's 3:10:00 no 3:15:00! That's good though. I'm up for a challenge :-) If I want to weenie out though, they have a half time of 1:30:00, which would be way easier for me.

2011 Goals and rough plan

2/19 - GW b'day 10k (maybe)
3/13 - St Patrick's Day 8k
4/2 - Cherry Blossom
5/17 - Pike's peak 10k
5/1 - toying with an idea of a marathon. There's a local one, but worried it will be too hot
11/?? - Fall marathon. NCR, Richmond?

Goals are

• sub-40 10k by 40th b'day in June
• PR at Cherry Blossom and keep streak going (1st 6 years of running April 10 milers: 1:24:49, 1:19:25, 1:09:49, 1:08:49, 1:06:43, 1:05:55).
• run 40-year-old NYCM auto-qualifier (3:15:00 3:10:00) in the fall