Actually I feel like I may have just finished my peak marathon training week.

For all the debates we have about training, I kind of feel DR has used the most effective training techniques over the last few years.

In a broad sense, you could probably clump the five of us into three categories

1.  Systematic:  This runner always has specific goals in mind and works towards those goals.  Their running is geared towards hitting goals and that may put less of an emphasis on the social side of running.

DR

2.  Intrinsic Love of Running (ILR Runner):  This runner likes to run.  The social aspect of running is an important part of running for this runner, but even when this runner doesn't have a person to run with they are still run.  This runner is a lot less systematic than the systematic runner, though at times this runner can be systematic.

Perry

3.  Semi-Serious Recreational Runner:  This runner is similar to the Intrinsic Lover of Running Runner, but is less consistent and seems to not quite have the intrinsic love of the sport that the ILR runner has.  At times the SSR Runner mirrors the ILR, but the SSR runner is characterized by a much wider ranges of fitness levels than the ILR runner because they training load varies so much more.

Joe

Crystal

Phil

Created them.

Phil, I think that your categorical runner terms will soon be adopted by major running publications like Runner's World and Running Times, along with coaches and notable running speakers/authorities everywhere.

I've had a bad habit lately of taking two days to finish fully logging my Saturday running. Fortunately, the tale of the four 3200s (which amounts to 32 speed laps, curiously enough) has been told in full. The interval set was a much needed confidence booster following other recent workouts that were marginally successful at best --- or didn't happen at all (e.g., that intended 7-mile time trial that I had to translate to the elliptical due to sickness). It reassured me that my current fitness isn't too far off from what it was at the time of the LPR10. Now I just need to get my mileage to take off like it was supposed to (previously I'd said some brazen words about amassing 350 miles in January, but at this point I'm in terrible danger of not even making it to 200).

Except the key to improving mileage will be getting back into the early a.m. running (12/21/12 was the last time I ran before sunrise), with regular double days, and the next few mornings are looking awfully daunting ...

(Wednesday.)

5 AM

16^°

Clear

FEELS LIKE:

5°

HUMIDITY:

39%

PRECIP:

0%

WIND:

WNW at 8 mph

6 AM

15^°

Clear

FEELS LIKE:

4°

HUMIDITY:

41%

Sometimes I think Phil is trying to motivate me when he classifies me as something like "Semi-Serious Recreational Runner!"

 

I ran in grass and my T7s for the first time today in a long time and it felt quite good.

Probably not the best name for the term, but my goal was to convey its a runner who is sometimes like Perry but lacks his consistency.   I think Crystal, you, and I have all had periods over the last 3 years where we trained consistently and good and are serious about running, but we have all gone through long periods where running was more of a secondary concern.

Just saw your mile repeats in the log, Phil - nice set.

Outside my garage, there's an old fashioned mercury thermometer right next to a modern digital thermometer. The latter tends to read about 4 degrees higher than the former --- so when I log a run, I usually pick a temp halfway between the readings of the two thermometers. But the mercury was indeed down to 19 degrees upon the conclusion of my Fartlek run! Meanwhile I hope that Perry and Alison were well bundled for their frigid late evening track run. Seriously, once the temp starts slipping below 20 degrees, anything (e.g., a nose or the back of your neck if you're not wearing a hood) exposed to the elements for too long is at risk of frostbite. I made it through yesterday evening's run alright, yes, but it convinced me that I should stay indoors this morning (when it was nearly 10 degrees colder, with a "feels like" just above 0 degrees).

By the way, Phil, the map views of your 1600s log entries all show you stopping about 150m before the point at which you started each interval. Were you doubling back in the 3rd laps?