You running c. 8min/mile, or something slower -- I thought you said earlier you were going to slow your long runs down? It'd be fun to join you for it -- I can join for every other loop, and then in-between, try the run/walk combination.

I've been taking several steps recently to avoid further injury, especially to my knees. I'm doing a no-weight strengthening routine for my quads that is supposed to derail symptoms of Runner's Knee (successful, so far). The only problem is the routine takes about 20-30 minutes per leg, and I do it twice a week per leg. I'm also trying to do an ice bath every day for 15-20 minutes, regardless of whether or not I run. Finally, I shelled out 30 bucks for new inserts for my shoes that, so far, have alleviated the pain in my right foot. All of that doesn't include the fact that I've been cycling Ibuprofen on for ten days, off for a week. I ran for the first time in a week this past Tuesday. I only did 20 minutes, but that was by design. Unfortunately, I'm reseting the training program I had started in mid December. The only positive thing that has happened recently is another resurgence in my running enthusiasm. This came after a couple of my co-workers (who are taking advantage of the free company personal trainer) decided to follow my lead and throw their names in the hat for the Saint Patrick's 5K in mid March. I don't think either has a chance at beating me, but I need to be sure about that. That's not to say I hope they do poorly... in fact, I've turned them both on to the Couch to 5K program, citing the help it gave me back in 2006. I guess I'd rather crush them while they're in good shape.

They're just various quad exercises aimed at strengthening tendons and such. I'll try to find a link later on, it's not too exciting.

It's a very public run... probably about 3000-4000.

Here are the vital stats of yesterday's run (which happened to be the longest run of my life!). 1/12/08- 18.75 miles (30 kilometers) in 02:27:15. Average pace: 7:51/mi. Calories burned: 3,641. I executed those 18.75 miles by running the Greenwell Three Oaks 5k course six consecutive times. I'd intended to keep a pace over 8:00/mi, but somehow the soft, earthy and grassy turf had me moving swiftly. I ran the first of three 10ks in 49:10, and my half marathon time was 1:42:something. Despite the grass, it was still rough on my knees, though. Although I encountered numerous horseback riders, hikers, and even bicyclists on the trails (for once it was a nice sunny day), I was running solo --- until, just when I was swinging by the parking lot en route to hitting 20 kilometers, I caught sight of Perry and Crystal. After breaking briefly to greet them, we all took up running together for about half a mile before they began their first one-minute walking interval. However, they eventually tired of that tedious walk/run business and stuck with running. They also eschewed following the course exactly, which led to us passing each other face-to-face a couple times. But when I ran into them again around the two-mile point of the course during my sixth and final 5k, they changed direction and followed me as "pace bunnies." For a fast finish, we brought the pace down to the 7:20s for the final 1.5 miles. Crystal kept up for a good while, but as we were now running at her 5k race pace (a very respectable, sub-24 pace at that), she decided to hang back while Perry and I pushed it all the way to the end. Just a quarter mile short of 19, and just 7.5 miles shy of a full marathon. As this was the fifth consecutive Saturday in which I completed a two hour plus long run, I've decided to try some early stage tapering and not do one next weekend. In fact, I'm thinking that from here on I'll just do one every other weekend. So it would go taper next weekend, run 20 miles the next, taper the next, run 22 miles the next, taper the next, run 24 miles the next, taper the next, and run 26.2 miles the next (the actual marathon). On those taper weekends I could either do a lot of cross training or just do a mini-long run (8-12 miles). Granted that plan isn't based on anything I've read --- it just seems logical and natural to me. I just know that if I keep tackling mammoth runs like this every weekend my knees will be brittle beyond belief by the time the marathon arrives. Thoughts?

I've always read that you can get away with dropping back mileage only every fourth week... however, I'm not sure how that applies to long runs of over 20 miles. Your plans sound good, though.

DR started with a stronger base than I, and more time, so I think I decided to cut back every other week on the long run as a tradeoff to how I have not very much time and I'm shooting up in both weekly mileage and long run distance quickly.