I was going to try to do some speedwork this weekend. DR, you said it is too late for hard speedwork now?

Last night I returned to the Goucher College track I believe for the first time in 2009. I know for certain that this was my first legitimate speedwork since late December. I've worked it out with Val that, until the end of the semester, she will walk Molly after work on Thursdays so that I can get to the track earlier. However, I completely forgot to account for the fact that Goucher's track team will likely be practicing until ~6:30, as the XC team was in the fall. Regardless, I got to the track at 5:30 yesterday. As I suggested, I was surprised that the track team was already practicing. I figured they wouldn't be out for a few more weeks. The good thing is that they were done by 5:45, so I had the track to myself after stretching and a warm-up mile. I'm currently working on the first week of an eight week 10K program. After the success I had with the Hall Half program last year, I'm completely in the box for these cookbook programs. I've come to terms with the fact that these running coaches know way more than I do, so if I follow their programs within parameters that I know won't wind up with me being injured, I'll probably be okay. The program, designed by Hal Higdon, consists of three moderate-to-difficult workouts per week, as well as easier days and a long run. The three moderate-to-difficult workouts include: 1. A 30, 40, or 50 minute tempo run in which one begins by running a mile easy, and then slowly increases speed to about 10K pace, holding that pace for only a few minutes. For instance, I might run 50 minutes, slowly increasing speed until I peak at 10K pace at 35 minutes. I would then hold that pace for five minutes, and then cool down for the remaining portion of the run. 2. Tempo/Pace run: 5-6 mile weekly run with 2-3 miles at 10K pace. 3. 400s. Hal Higdon apparently LOVES 400s for anything shorter than a Half. Week 1 begins with 6 x 400 at mile pace, week 7 peaks with 12 x 400 at mile pace about 10 days before the race. This will probably be beneficial, as it could help improve length strength and turnover before I move into longer intervals for the 10-miler training. Last night was 6 x 400 at mile pace, which for the purpose of this program, I'm calling 6:00. I don't have my forerunner on hand, but here are about what my splits were: 1 - 1:36 2 - 1:32 3 - 1:29 4 - 1:23 5 - 1:28 6 - 1:29 The first two were rough. I don't think it was from a lack of effort, but it just took a few reps to get my stride back. My feet were all over the place, and my stride was reaching way too long. The third rep was a little better, but drastically improved for the final three. The BRRC training program began to spill onto the track around 6:30. I suppose there are many new runners in this group, as there was a lot of mulling around in lanes 1 and 2. Fortunately I was able to wrap things up before they began warming up. I'm still giving consideration to joining BRRC for $20, but it might be weird if I did that and then didn't train with them despite being at the same place.

I'm tapering, but I'm feeling sore and slow each time I go running recently -- even though I'm only going for abt 5mi at a time. I hope I feel stronger next week -- cutting even further back in mileage next week.

I'd say 8 days is the closest to a race you could do a run and actually expect to benefit from it. ...

Ooops. I took off 3.5 days -- not entirely planned, but worked too long on Monday and didn't feel like running that night, then Tue was a day and a half for me with a 14hr time change in the middle of it. I didn't actually feel like running today, but went out -- first run in under 65F in two weeks, but it felt ok. Did first half with Crystal (08:51, 08:24, 08:24, half at 08:09 pace), then went back out myself and felt good and started going faster (07:58, 07:34, 07:02, 07:06, 06:51, half at 06:43). Probably shouldn't have done tempo this late but it felt good and restored my confidence Plus I didn't slip on ice and fall

...if not for the icy spots that remained on the track....

Gotta say, that sound dangerous...

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.

Sounds like you'll be battle-hardened with races by the day of Hospice, which should give you a distinct competitive edge. Sunday wasn't my most glorious morning, but still --- I completed a marathon in a respectable time, which the average citizen couldn't imagine accomplishing. And though I don't want to become an elitist, I could barely restrain my groaning annoyance when I came in yesterday (after taking Monday off) and heard the people sitting near me boasting at length about the great workouts they'd been getting on their Wii Fits. Is there a Wii Fit marathon simulator? I doubt it.

I may be getting a little “race-happy” with my schedule. After the Hospice in April, I’m already eyeing a 5K for early May and a 10K for late May, leading up to the Baltimore 10-miler in June. However, aside from the 10-miler in June and Baltimore Half in October, I hope to have no race this year cost more than $20. While I’ll give you there’s probably no marathon simulator on the Wii fit, I’ve heard it can give one a pretty good workout. I think there’s some kind of “jog simulator,” but that’s probably for people who are too lazy to go outside. I can definitely see it being handy for things such as Yoga or the like, as those classes can be very expensive. It’s also probably an inexpensive alternative to joining a gym, or for people with very little time on their hands. Speaking of which, I recently purchased what is labeled an “Iron Gym.” In reality, it’s simply a pull-up bar that can be not-permanently attached to a doorway doing workouts. The advertisements also show people using it for sit-ups, push-ups and dips, but that seems like a sham. Since I can realistically fit only one day of legit weight-lifting into my schedule, I’m going to try a couple of push-up and pull-up programs a few days a week. I’m especially intrigued by a couple of programs I shared with Joe recently... one is the “Hundred Push-up” program, and the other is for either 20 or 40 pull-ups, I can’t remember. Google the phrase “Hundred push-ups,” it should bring up a link. I really wish I had the foresight to buy a bowflex and a treadmill or elliptical prior to getting a gym membership. I think I would get a lot more use out of the basement by turning it into a gym rather than the eventual media room, but oh well.