Well, I'm most of the way through week 1 training for my next goal race, Running from an Angel 50 Miler on January 3rd. That gives me 13 weeks to convert my 5k training into 50 mile training. I haven't settled on a specific plan yet, but here is my general idea (feel free to comment): First, I want to get back to my summer weekly mileage of 60-75 miles per week. Week 1 will be over 50 miles, weeks 2-3 should be over 60 miles, and weeks 4+ should be over 70 miles unless I put in cut back weeks (which I very well may.) I haven't decided if I am going to aim to go over 80 miles or up to 90 miles; I probably will reach 80 once or twice but I don't foresee it being a regular thing. I want to stay healthy and I'm not too worried about extremely high mileage. In general, Mondays are going to be an easy day or a rest day. Tuesdays are going to be a relatively easy as well, consisting of an evening trail run. Wednesdays are going to be a longer run of 10-15 miles, although it will most likely be 2 shorter runs because that's how my schedule works. Thursdays will be relatively easy and will depend upon what the group I coach is doing. Depending upon how I feel I will probably add a second lunch time run to Thursdays. Fridays will be easy and will probably involve trails of some sort unless I run at lunch time. The weekends will be where most of my work gets done. I plan on doing at least a few (probably more) quality back to back long runs of 20+ and 15+ miles, with the first run being trails and the second roads. Those runs will most likely be in November. I also am going to want to get in a single long run of 25-30 miles on trails. I haven't figured out what I'm going to do during hunting season yet, since that will limit my access to the trails severely for a month or more in the prime of the training program. I will most likely give myself a 3 week taper in December, bringing mileage into the lower 60s, lower 50s and then 80s or 90s on race week (including the 50 miler, obviously.) Why 6:38:59? 6:38:59 is a 7:59/mile or 4:58/km pace, which is a pretty easy pace over any distance I've raced at before. Obviously, that's pretty aggressive for a first time 50 miler, but the course is on roads so that should speed me up. It'll probably beat the hell out of me too, though, which needs to be considered. That, and the fact that throughout the course of the race, I'll be ascending and descending over 4/5 of a mile. (Climbing 4277.07', Descending 4266.15', Min/Max Elevation 1239.85'/1876.05') As for why that pace, that's the time the winner ran last year, and as far as I'm aware that was the first year it was run. I'd like to win, and it gives me a good mark to shoot for. I won't be overly disappointed if I don't make it in that fast, but I would like to make it in less than 7 and a half hours (which would be a 9:00/mile pace.)

hi Blaine I am looking forward to following your training. I have no advice, but am glad to see that you are enjoying running again!

It looks like a lot of slower running for you. Any thought of throwing in some occasional light speed work, striders perhaps, or even just some tempo's for sanity's sake. Sounds like a good plan. Have Fun!

I won't stop myself from allowing a run to turn into a tempo or fartlek type of workout, and I probably will throw striders in at points. I rarely bother recording those, though; it's just something I do. I'll be doing some random races as workouts that will be good efforts, just to have some fun. Pondering a halloween trail race lit by jack-o-lanterns right now.

Week 1 Goals: Get over my burn-out from last season, enjoy running again, and build mileage back up into the high 40s (which, given that I'm most of the way through the week already, is actually going to be low 50s.)

Week 1 The goals were easy to meet, since I didn't put it down in the forum until Friday and knew I just had a couple of junk days left. I got some trail running in on Tuesday, and was back to those same trails on Saturday although my "runs" there were just what was required for helping out at a cross country race. I went out and ran sag to make sure everyone was done and then ran along the cart to pick up the course when everything else was done. I'm pretty good at pulling flags out of the ground w/o stopping or slowing down, although it did take some effort to get the stakes out of the ground. Wednesday's workout got a little ahead of me and I ran faster than I needed to, but took it easy for my second run. Monday and Sunday were just easy runs. I did a half marathon distance at just over 7 minute pace running home from work on Friday, which is a good run because there's a net uphill. The first 3 or 4 miles are straight up and then its rolling hills the rest of the way. I was a little tired at the end of the week, since I haven't done anything over 30 miles for 3 weeks prior and had only been in the 40s the week before that. Total miles were over 53, and my last 50+ week was at the beginning of September. Week 2 Goals: Given how tired I was this weekend, I am going to opt for only one run on Monday and Tuesday. Originally thought about doing 2 on Monday, but I don't feel that there is a need. Tuesday I'll be running with the Trail Monsters. Wednesday I am going to see if I can adjust my work schedule to run home from work, in which case I'll get 12+ miles; if I can't, then I'll get 2 runs in on Wednesday to get my 12 miles in. If I get my 12+ miler in on Wednesday, then Thursday will only be a run with the group that I coach; if not or if I feel really good then I'll do my workout at lunch time and get a second run with the group I coach. The past few weeks I've actually been running in the workouts and not just running the workouts (timing and such) since some people were doing the Maine Marathon, others weren't, and generally the people doing the speed work didn't have anybody to run with by the end of the workout so I jumped in to pace them. Friday will be an easy run, and then on Saturday I plan on going long on the trails (15+ miles) and will probably do a medium-long run on Sunday (8-12 miles.) My mileage should be in the low 60s.

50 Miles I would die mid-route, YOU WILL DO GREAT.

Week 3 Goals: Basically, the exact same goals as I had for week 2, except without the whole being sick thing. Given how sick I was last week, I am going to opt for only one run on Monday and Tuesday. Tuesday I'll be running with the Trail Monsters. Wednesday I am going to see if I can adjust my work schedule to run home from work, in which case I'll get 12+ miles; if I can't, then I'll get 2 runs in on Wednesday to get my 12 miles in. If I get my 12+ miler in on Wednesday, then Thursday will only be a run with the group that I coach; if not or if I feel really good then I'll do my workout at lunch time and get a second run with the group I coach. Friday will be an easy run, and then on Saturday I plan on going medium-long on the roads (8-13 miles) and will probably do a long run on trails on Sunday (15+ miles.) Saturday is the start of hunting season, and hunters are allowed on most of the trails that I train on. Kids can hunt on Saturday, Residents can hunt on Saturday Nov 1, and then the regular hunting season begins on Monday Nov. 3rd. One of the parks that I run in does not allow running on Sundays, so I'll be using the trails then and will try to keep to running in a pack and wearing my toxic yellow pullover. My mileage should be in the high 50s/low 60s.

Week 3: This week basically went according to plan. I realized a few days after putting my goals down that I planned on running a 5k this Sunday, but was too lazy to come in and update and I pretty much went with what was written anyway. Monday and Tuesday were easy days, and I ran home from work on Wednesday. I originally wanted to do 15 miles, but my boss needed me to do some things before I left (and I'd already changed!) so I didn't leave 'til a half hour later than I'd wanted to. It got dark and I was hungry so I just ran straight home. Thursday and Friday were basically days off. Thursday I did a grand total of 2.5 miles; the warmup and cool down with the folks I coach and then timed them in the dark while they ran 400m intervals. I was just busy/lazy on Friday and never got around to running. I've been coughing pretty hard all week despite not feeling sick anymore so I took that as an excuse to rest a little. Saturday I got out on the trails for 13.5 miles in about 2 hours over very hilly terrain; it was a lot of fun. Today I got in about 11.5 miles between warmup, cooldown and a 5k race, plus I did another 4+ miles with my wife after I got home since I wanted to get my 15 miles in for the day. Wound up just shy of 16 total. All of those were run in my racing flats; I should really think about getting a second pair of those to use as trainers. I also am (sort of) doing the 100 pushup challenge, so I did that twice this week. The first time I fell short of my minimum max set by 1 pushup, but then didn't get back to the program for 5 days and easily blew that day out of the water when I actually did it. Total mileage for the week was ~57. Week 4 Goals: Time to start building up a little. I'm going to take tomorrow relatively easy and just do 5+ at lunch time, and then try to double on Tuesday and Thursday (although my 2nd run on Thursday will probably be very short again.) Wednesday will be a single run, 5-8 miles, and on Friday I'm doing a night time halloween trail run with some friends, so that'll be 4-5 miles. Next Saturday I want to run at Pineland Farms, and Sunday at Bradbury Mountain, so the goal will be to get at least 2 hours at both parks and hopefully 2.5 to 3 at Bradbury. I'll play that by ear and see who else I have to run with next weekend. Total mileage should be in the mid-60s.

how do you work running home from work?

ohh ok. What do you do with your work clothes?

ok. Thanks!!!