I may have an opportunity to pace a runner in the Vermont 100 in a couple weeks. It would be a lot of fun and I am very tempted, but I think it may not be in my best interests for a sub-16. I probably have enough time to get everything back together before the races, but it will definitely affect the quality of my speedwork during the bulk of my training. (The pacers run 30 miles, mostly on dirt roads and paths. The guy I would pace will probably run around 19 hours, so probably running at about 10:00-13:00 minute pace w/walking the hills.) Decisions decisions...

I don't think I would risk it. But that's just me. Especially if you feel it will take away from the quality of the needed speed work you have coming up and if you are really focusing on just a select few races.

Week 9 Goals (updated): This is going to be a forced cut back week since I'm heading to a wedding over the weekend and won't have an opportunity to run much. I am running a 10k race on Friday, so I will stick to running at a slow pace Monday through Thursday. Ideally I would like to run 90k this week, but anything over 80k is acceptable. In week 10 I'm going to start speed work again. Forgot to mention my goals for the 10k on Friday. It is a relatively tough course that is historically very hot and humid. The first half involves more downhill than up, but the second half is all in the sun and uphill. I have about a month between this 10k and my next 10k, which I'd like to run low/mid 34s at. For this week, though, I think that sub-37 is a realistic goal with 35:30-36:00 minutes what I am going to shoot for.

Week 9: Check. Don't really have much to add that wasn't in the goals. I ran at an easy pace all week Monday through Thursday (and today) although I kept the mileage up. Wednesday I wound up running over 20 miles; definitely not doing that before the Beach to Beacon 10k in about a month. I could feel those miles in Friday's race. Friday I ran pretty well. I ran high 35 in the 10k, 2nd for my age group and 17th overall (about 980 runners.) I saw Teresadfp's son when he passed me near the mile and when he died near 4 miles. I took yesterday completely off and got very little sleep. Up at 3:30 am to drive 2 hours to the airport and fly to a wedding, then a full night of dancing and drinking (~3-4 weeks of booze in a couple hour span) then got a few hours of sleep before driving back this morning. I went for an easy run this evening in the free pair of shoes I got from Friday's race (first 500 registered got a pair of New Balance 1062s) and they were okay although much more cushiony than I'm used to. Not sure I like that. Total distance for the week was just shy of 100 km (~62 miles), just over a 10% cutback from last week. Week 10 Goals: This week I start speed work. Technically, last Friday was my first speed workout, but on Wednesday I'm going to do some speed work during the Back Cove race. Haven't decided what yet; either 30/60 fartlek or maybe some tabata intervals. Distance-wise I want to run over 100km but I don't want to run more than 110-115 km at the very most. I want to stay right around that general vicinity for the next couple of months.

Tough decision. I would love to run as a pacer in one of those to help me prep for the longer stuff.

Yeah, I had already pretty much made up my mind to skip it and just volunteer at a local race that I usually run.

I got about 22 seconds into my run this afternoon on my lunch break when I pulled a muscle in my neck. Been laying on the couch or in bed ever since pretty much. That'll put a damper on your training plans. Not nearly as bad as the pull I had on my birthday a few years ago, but enough to keep me from running. Hopefully I recover over the weekend and am back to normal next week.

Sorry to here about the neck. This might be a good excuse for your DW to give you a light neck massage. Did it just happen out of no where or did it happen while you happened to turn your head?

Week 10 Goals: This week I start speed work. Technically, last Friday was my first speed workout, but on Wednesday I'm going to do some speed work during the Back Cove race. Haven't decided what yet; either 30/60 fartlek or maybe some tabata intervals. Distance-wise I want to run over 100km but I don't want to run more than 110-115 km at the very most. I want to stay right around that general vicinity for the next couple of months.

Week 10: Well, I basically stuck to my goals despite taking 2 days completely off due to a neck injury. Ran most of my weekly distance Monday through Thursday, putting in 75 kilometers. Wednesday night I did Tabata Intervals at the Back Cove race, although my watch was misprogrammed. I wanted to do 8 intervals per set for 4 minutes of tabata intervals (10 seconds easy, 20 seconds hard, repeat 8 times, then 2 minutes easy and repeat.) Unfortunately, I set the watch up to interval 8, but the 10 second intervals count too so I only had 2 minutes of intervals followed by 2 minutes of rest. I warmed up 5 miles plus the first couple of minutes of the race to let the field thin a little, then I got in 3 full sets. On the last set, I turned the last 20 second interval into a 2 minute and 40 second interval, but got out kicked by a kid near the end. I only ran a few miles cool down. Thursday I ran twice plus did some strength training, which probably led to my problems on Friday where I pulled a muscle in my neck. I spent all of Friday afternoon on my back on the couch with the cat (it was pathetic, my wife had to help me up while I supported my head) and then we went up to visit my folks yesterday. I felt stiff and sore and things still hurt, but I was able to play with my 3 and 5 year old cousins without too much pain and that's the important thing. I was still really stiff this morning but I could turn my head without pain. I couldn't turn it all the way, but it was an improvement. My wife had to drive us home. I tried running this afternoon just to see whether I could. Did the first 3 miles really slow with my wife before picking up the pace some. We went out on an 8 mile loop and I added on 4 times to turn it into a 12.5 mile run (~20k) so I finished the week up over 95k total - not too bad given that I took 2 days completely off. I actually felt better after my run today than I did before it; hopefully I still feel good tomorrow morning. Week 11 Goals: Today gave me good hope that this neck thing isn't going to affect me too much longer. I'll probably lay off the weight training this week, but I might try to get into the pool instead and see how that feels. I want to get my mileage back up in the 100ks and I will be treating Wednesday as a speed session. I am volunteering at a race on Saturday, so I might take that afternoon to do some more speed work and then go long on Sunday morning. I'll have to see where my team is meeting.

Week 11 Goals: Today gave me good hope that this neck thing isn't going to affect me too much longer. I'll probably lay off the weight training this week, but I might try to get into the pool instead and see how that feels. I want to get my mileage back up in the 100ks and I will be treating Wednesday as a speed session. I am volunteering at a race on Saturday, so I might take that afternoon to do some more speed work and then go long on Sunday morning. I'll have to see where my team is meeting.

Week 11: I got two quality speed sessions in and ran about 115km (~71 miles) in the process. Most of the runs were relatively easy, plenty of doubles. I wound up running about 15 miles on Friday between two runs, and on the weekend did 9-10 miles both days. Wednesday's speed session was originally going to be a steady pace tempo run at a good effort, I was looking for 17:15 or so. Unfortunately, a friend dropped his key and I stopped to help him look for it under all the gravel dust while 100+ people trampled over it, so it turned into an all out race as I tried moving back up to the front again. It was fun, at least. Today's speed session went really well. I ran 12x400m w/200m walk/jog recoveries, getting a sip of water every 3 laps (every other 400m repeat) - I warmed up to the track and cooled down from it with my wife. She wanted to run long, and basically did 5 miles out and back (the track is a bit less than 3 miles from the house) - I let her take the Garmin since it came back Friday night in the mail. I hit my splits pretty much where I wanted to be in the workout. A couple of slow ones to warm up the legs, and then I wanted to run around 75 seconds for the middle repeats, with the last 3-4 sub-70. I didn't actually get to the sub-70 until the last 2: 89, 85, 81, 78 75, 74, 74, 74 73, 70, 69, 68 Negative splitted the entire thing. Felt good to get on the track. Even w/nobody else to work out with I was able to just get into a groove. About 5-10 seconds slower than I'd like to be, but given that this is my second week with speed work I'm glad to be at this point now. Looking forward to 3 or 4 weeks from now and doing a similar workout. Total time for 4800m was 15:10, which is a 15:50 5k, so got a ways to go before getting to my sub-16 5k in a race. Week 12 Goals: This week I'll maintain mileage (looking for between 100-115 km) and will get 2 speed sessions in. The first will be at the Back Cove, but since I'm planning on going long tomorrow night with a teammate I might keep it as a light speed session depending upon how I feel. The 2nd speed session will actually be a 5k race on Saturday morning. I should be able to go under 17 minutes without too much trouble and without taking too much out of me. Rest of my runs should just be easy mileage.

Week 12 Goals: This week I'll maintain mileage (looking for between 100-115 km) and will get 2 speed sessions in. The first will be at the Back Cove, but since I'm planning on going long tomorrow night with a teammate I might keep it as a light speed session depending upon how I feel. The 2nd speed session will actually be a 5k race on Saturday morning. I should be able to go under 17 minutes without too much trouble and without taking too much out of me. Rest of my runs should just be easy mileage.

Week 12: For the week, I ran 101k, and got 2 good speed sessions in. It looked a bit different than I expected though. Monday was a very short run, just over 4k on the trails with my vibrams. My buddy never got back to me with directions to where we were going to run. Tuesday I got some miles in between 2 runs. Wednesday I had a 15 year old to work out with (Teresa's DS15) which was cool. We ran an 18:30 5k, which involved 2x4 minute tabata intervals w/2 minutes rest, and then 5 or 6 minutes easy and the last tenth plus sprinted in. I edged him after he gave up. Thursday I was going to run at lunch, but my knee ached so I skipped it and just ran after work. I got some miles in on Friday. Yesterday I raced, running 16:45 at an honest effort and placing 3rd. Got a good massage after the fact that resolved some calf problems I'd been having. Today was a good trail run on some logging trails up north of here. We parked across the street from a lake, so a dip afterwards was in order and felt great. About 17k in 80 minutes. Week 13 Goals: I'll probably run over 100k, but I don't care if I do. Wednesday will be a light speed workout, either an easy tempo pace for the 5k or else maybe 800m or mile repeats in the middle of the race. Thursday and Friday I'll run easy, and Saturday is the Beach to Beacon 10k where I should run 34:00 to 34:30. I'll be training through, but I want to do well.

Awesome time for that 10k, considering the situation. Is that a PR or is that just your fastest time recorded on RA. Using the mcmillan calculator that would put you in the low 16's for a 5k. I think your sub 16 is right around the corner. BTW, interesting read on getting up early. That's the most challenging thing for me.