Though I did just charge up the stairs at work (in my haste to get to the time clock) without a twinge of pain (it's really only walking downstairs that still smarts), I'm still taking it easy for the time being. Thus the rooty, muddy, and hillacious terrain of SMRSP wouldn't agree with recovery.

You ran a marathon, which is one hell of a workout. Now let's step back a moment and look at your running schedule. You tapered for weeks leading up to the marathon, which included a bumpy ride with many off days, and now you plan to take a couple of weeks with recovery. That's all well and good for the marathon, but let's take it out of context of the marathon. If you follow your recovery plan and look at the weeks before and then after the marathon, how much training will you have been doing? How do you weigh the pro of a good recovery to the con of a month with almost no training? Rick, I'm really suprised to see you doing that many races. I had thought you were pretty against doing that many races in close proximity. One way to still do the races, since they're inexpensive, is to not really go all-out in some of them or to use them as time trials. I'm a big fan of races, so I think your schedule looks exciting. Phil is following the 10k training plan's harder workouts to an extent and basically ignoring all the fluff mileage and doing whatever he wants for that portion. He ran a 6:17 mile on the track the other day with nobody to push him. He's hoping to up his long run a bit in the coming weeks, as he really hasn't done over 8. His rough goal time for the 10k is 45 minutes, but isn't putting that in writing yet. What is everyone else's goal? Perhaps I should move this out of the training thread OR you can say what training you plan to do to accomplish such a goal time. I'm currently leaning towards about 54 minutes, which would give me 27 minute 5k splits. It's realistic. I was fatigued running an 8 minute mile yesterday. I didn't go all-out, but the effort I put into it was not one I could keep up for a 5k, so there's no way I could do a 10k in under 50 minutes by next month. I may be able to squeak below 54, but I only have 4 weeks left to train. I hope to up my long run to 10 miles or so and do some repeat 400s. I'd like to do hills one day, but I'm not sure when will be convenient. I don't think endurance will be much of an issue for me, so I'm going to look for ways to make my legs feel more limber. Like, an 8 minute mile is tough for me because I'm not used to going fast anymore, but I could probably run repeat 8 minute miles without showing much fatigue between them, so it's clear to me that I am ready to work on speed a little.

My tentative Hospice 10k goal is to beat your 2008 Hospice five k time! I'd have to take about a minute off my PR to do so, but it still seems almost feasible. And I'm not too worried about bouncing back after recovery. Last year I took a week off after the marathon (which had been preceded by three weeks of tapering), followed by a couple easy weeks, and then I dived straight into intense 5k training at the end of March --- managing a passable 19:35 5k at Hospice three weeks later. Still, I found going from long and steady marathon training to quick and harsh 5k workouts to be a painfully abrupt switch. Thus I think transitioning from a marathon to a 10k will be feel far more natural.

And part of transitioning from a marathon to a 10k might include a Saturday run at SMRSP. That's what you really mean, right?

I think running a couple hard repeat miles is better geared towards training for a 5k. For a 10k, you'd probably gain more from doing 4 X 1600 at a reduced pace or maybe 2 X 3200. Or a high volume of 800s. Whereas the 5k depends on speed and the marathon on endurance, stamina is the most important factor in a 10k. Thus tempo runs are the most advantageous workout you can get. I plan to rebuild my "long" run from eight to 12 miles, but following the moderate out, hard in method --- ie, in a 10 mile run I'd do the first five miles at an 8:15/mi pace and then the latter half sub-7:30/mi.

I tend to agree with DR, but I think Phil may have done the mile as more of a benchmark than a workout (Phil – let me know if I’m wrong on this). After that mile, he knows he has the speed to run a 7:14 mile (for a 10K goal of 45:00). Now it’s just a matter of being able to run six of those, and then some. I’m considering doing a mile race in July. The BRRC has several track meets over the summer, and it might be fun to get in on one of those. I did six miles easy last night (~9:06 pace), but more notably I began the (hopefully) six week trek towards 100 push-ups and 20 pull-ups. I won’t go into my numbers from last night, because the first week is slightly embarrassing. However, if you’re crafty with Google, you could probably figure it out on your own.

Oh, and I'd like to come do SMRSP, but can't make it this weekend. By the way, the Pi run at Patuxent High on their cross-country course is this Saturday morning -- but I can't make that either. Crystal is probably cooking a pie for it.

Perry - I took a quick look at the 100 Push-up forum. I doubt I'll post on there, but I might keep everyone on this board at least up to date with my progress. I think I'll get to 20 pull-ups way quicker than 100 push-ups. On that note, has anyone had the opportunity to use the "Perfect Push-Up?" The strange thing about this is that it seems very gimmicky, and everyone who hasn't used them takes the "why pay $30 when you can do push-ups on your own?" However, any review I read on the item is glowing. I think I may give them a shot if I ever make it to the end of the 100 Push-up program.

Doing 20 pull ups with proper form sounds harder than 100 push ups, but perhaps that is because I am overweight. At least for me getting the push ups down would be just be about increasing muscular endurance, whereas the pull ups would require me to get a lot stronger AND increase my muscular endurance. Either way I would have to increase my muscular endurance, but only on the pull ups would increasing my strength be in issue. If you ever get to the point where you can 100 push ups and 20 pull ups you know you are in great shape.