Training is messed up again and I need help and I know we've got awesome runners in this group. I was trying to follow Hal Higdon Int I plan for my HM in May. I squeezed in a LR last night. What would you run the next two weeks based on my calendar? 30 miles this week? 35 next week? Usually I run long on Saturdays, and need to get back to that eventually. HELP.

Me being... not one of them... I'll defer.

Since you bailed on me, maybe Blaine or Marcus would have some advice. I'm just not good at this week off business. I am cleared to run, no heart monitor required.

I am not good at suggesting training for others because I rarely follow the "rules" myself. But if you're training for a HM, I don't think you need a long run of more than 16-17 miles two weeks out. You are already at 14 so as far as the distance goes, you're on track. I don't know what date your race is on, but back up two weeks from that wekend and plan a long run of 16-17 miles. Use your weekly long runs between now and then to work your way up. 14, 15, 16, etc. There is nothing wrong with doing the same distance two weeks in a row and there is nothing wrong with increasing distance by 2 miles per week if you need to. Make sense? If I recall 35 MPW has caused you problems in the past, right? Refresh my memory. The most important run is your long run. The rest can be filled in as you see fit as long as time and health allow.

Just run and add miles based on how your legs feel?

That's exactly how I would do it. I would set no mileage goal but would just let my legs dictate how much I push it distance and intensity wise.

Don't worry, I won't sue you. I would post in the general forum but some yahoo would tell me to start at 10mpw. MTA: Then the yahoo would say to use the extra time to do my taxes.

Just ease back into it. I would take one extra week to get back to where you were. You didn't lose enough time to have lost a significant amount of fitness. You will be fine.

I'd be a little careful about going too far twice in a week - you ran 14 today so you might want to be a little careful about running 15 on Saturday. Those 2 days alone would account for more than your weekly mileage for the last 5 weeks w/only 1 exception. I think that might be pushing it a little more than you need to. With a cutback week and then a week "off" (mostly) you really aren't looking at a ton of deconditioning. You already have 16 miles this week, I might look towards treating Thursday as another rest day and only run 2-4 miles, and then look at doing 7 on Saturday. A little extra rest certainly won't hurt and the gains that you'll make aren't worth the risks, in my mind.

I agree I can't do 15 on Saturday, but I didn't want to have so many days between LRs so I ran LR last night. I'll do what you advise, may cross train if I'm out of my mind bored. And wait to plan next week on Sunday. Thanks!

... I can defibrillate you.

Well Bugs, you got that going for you, which is nice.

Last weekend I got my CPR and First Aid certifications for the first time in over a decade. My have things changed. I didn't bother getting the defib cert though since I'm not going to buy one and likely won't have access to one anyway.