I may not be getting faster, but I feel I'm getting stronger. Running 16 miles used to completely wipe me out for a day or two, and I'd have to take IBU before bed. Now it feels about the same as running 10 or 12 miles did a year ago. So I'm happy. Tim- how exciting! Vista, you know how I feel as we have "talked" in private already. I want an autographed copy of that book when it's done, but I'm warning you, I'm a harsh critic! This morning we awoke to extremely urgent, repetitive, bang bang banging on our front door. It was a neighbour's kid. He said, "your cat is in our house". I said something like, "so?". "He is under my mother's bed and won't come out!!". I said, "did you leave a window open or something?" (our cat likes to come and go through our screenless bedroom window during the night) "No, he came in the front door when it was open". Whew, now I don't feel so responsible for him, if they let him in that way!

Enke, that's funny about your cat. Our old cat used to get into cars if the door was left open. More than one time the vet had to return to our house after seeing the horses just to bring the cat back! Larry, that looks like a Higdon pattern! I know it well... and those three 30 mile weekends (10 mile MP run on Saturday, 20 mile long run on Sunday) are always soo good to be done with before taper!! I've used that plan for a couple of years and many marathons now. I do hill work either in the middle of my Wednesday run, or on Thursday. If I do tempo runs, I usually do those on Tuesdays. But I do too many hard workouts a week and almost always run too fast, so I'll let Ribs be the one to give advice! I'll miss you Joey, but I hope you don't stay away. I've got your e-mail and will let you know when the next big event happens... I'm still coughing, but feeling so much better. It really sucked being sick for the four-day weekend I had. I did get a lot of work done in the garden, though, and it looks really good! I checked my work calendar this morning and see that I'd put in for the next two Friday's off... wasn't that smart of me! So, I'll have an extra day to get more done around the house, not necessarily running because Fridays are usually rest days anyway. One of the things I'm trying this summer is adding a recovery run day on Mondays. Like Larry's schedule, it's always a "cross training" day in the Higdon schedule, but I'm not very good at XT and usually just blow it off. Figured I might as well get a few easy miles in... 4 planned at lunchtime.

Anyone else out there wearing Saucony Trigon Ride 5's? I know PDR does, and I sent her an e-mail, but I just bought a pair at Sierra Trading Post for $46.80 - usually they're $89.99. They only had one color, pink/silver, but it's a heck of a deal, so I thought I'd mention it.

Yes Erika it is a Higdon plan, Ribs, I am only in week 4 of an 18 week plan right now so my long run this week will be 13 (9:30 to 10 minute miles)and my saturday MP run will be 6 miles @ 8.5 minute miles. My easy ( 9 to 9.5 minute miles)short days are at 3 miles but will go as high as 5 as I get furthur into my schedule. My Wednesday run is at 6 miles MP but will build to 10 miles. So basicaly I want to do a hill work out on Thursday to replace an easy day. My hill workout is a one mile loop with about a 1/2 mile climb at a pretty steep grade, not sure how steep but a good workout. I usually attack the hill and use the rest as recovery for the next one. As Erika said I am using a modified Higdon plan. Thanks for the input. Larry

I thought it looked like Higdon but then I thought you must have tinkered with it. Here is what you are doing now: Sunday Long Monday x train ( Biking & weights) Tuesday Easy and short Wednesday Medium long ( at least 1/2 @ MP) Thursday Easy and short (want to do hills) Friday OFF rest Saturday MP This all looks good to me and I have nothing very specific to say, except for these points: At present you have 3 quality days in a week, both days of the weekend and Wednesday. Adding a fourth day is probably not wise over a long period of time. Why not keep your 3 quality days, and swap in hills every other week for one of the workouts, more than likely the Wednesday session? (This would be better than a hill workout on Saturday, the day before your long run.) Second, you might also consider switching your Monday and Tuesday efforts. You probably need 3-4 slow recovery miles on Monday after that tough weekend, and then you could cross-train or take the day off on Tuesday. You are running very well right now as I see from your posts and your RR, but you must remember that you are very early in a long program and you want to be fresh through it all. I agree hills would be great but I would rather see you begin thinking "instead of" rather than "in addition to." The risk is that you will eventually get overtired with a 4 big workout week, or even worse, get injured. Be patient. And finally, you wrote, "I usually attack the hill and use the rest as recovery for the next one." I don't know what "attack" means, but hill work can be very tiring on the legs and for a half mile uphill, there is no need to attack it. Run up it at at HMP to begin with. That will be plenty fast enough to start out. Measure it with your Garmin what a half mile is, and then start off your first hill workout at HMP for that half mile hill. Do no more than 4 of these the first time. You can always adjust next week if you think that was too soft for you. The key is to think long term and always be planning for how fresh you want to feel for your next big workout. (Don't be scaring me with any more "attack" words!) I'm pretty excited for your plan, your dedication and the way you are running right now. I know you will do what you want to do anyway but those are just some things I think you should consider. Bear in mind that I am an advocate of only two big workouts a week and they have speed and distance combined within them, so I get nervous when someone suggests 4 key workouts a week. Spareribs

4.5 miles of hilly trails at lunchtime. Was thinking I'd go out for an easy, recovery type run... but didn't remember all the hills back there. Tomorrow I'll hit the bike path for something a little less exciting....

Anyone else out there wearing Saucony Trigon Ride 5's? I know PDR does, and I sent her an e-mail, but I just bought a pair at Sierra Trading Post for $46.80 - usually they're $89.99. They only had one color, pink/silver, but it's a heck of a deal, so I thought I'd mention it.

Thanks! ...as I'm down to my last 'back-up' pr from the 3 I bought during the last clearance sale

It was cool and cloudy this morning, so I ventured out for a lunchtime run from the office. I went to a nearby state park and did a trail run. I've only been there once before, when I did an out-and-back. Today I tried to do a loop run, but got a little lost and ended up doing a much bigger loop than I intended. Also, the sun came out halfway through, and it got hot (high 70's). I didn't take water, as I didn't mean to go so far, so I ended up hot and tired and walking at the end. Total distance about 8.8 miles. Nice trails, but maybe next time I should take a map!

Triple H's here today as well. I got in a 5er after the pool and promptly jumped back in following my run. I too, will miss Vista. Joey, say it ain't so... Chris