A truly #fitwinning weekend, lot's of running, prepped for next week's race.

Dear James, Daniel and Emily,

Last week I figured out a new training plan for after the half marathon. Since I won't be training for another long race (I have a 10K in October but nothing else planned) I don't have to focus so much on building up to the long distances. And I don't plan to start the training for a longer race until next year, after the winter. So it was time to change things up, set up a plan for just running and being fit. With the help of the Adidas MiCoach iPhone App and web site I have a new plan in place. It basically calls for 4 runs a week, at least 3 of them being roughly 6 miles (1 hour) and another that does some tempo training that I could easily extend to an hour as well.

The biggest change is that I will no longer be doing my short 30 minute treadmill runs at the Y on Saturdays. Instead I will be doing longer, 6 mile runs, with the plan of getting up early and getting back before the kids are up and ready to do things. This has the added benefit for the kids that they will get a little more video game/TV time before the 10AM-6PM shut off.

So this weekend I implemented this by running for ~5 miles on Saturday morning, I wasn't completely sure of my time as my GPS got goofy, recorded my first mile after 3 miles (I'm not that fast). Then on Sunday I still did my customary long run in preparation for the race next weekend:

Sunday's Run

Clearly not my fastest run, but my longest in terms of time and distance. And I would have done better had the needs of nature not forced me to slow down, and eventually stop at 7-11 for a potty break. But I still felt good about it, and feel confident that I will be able to run the half marathon on Monday. I do plan to take Sunday off from running so I will have fresh legs Monday.

Which brings up the other change I have made, I added morning walks on Wednesday and Fridays, doing some pretty challenging walks in terms of ascent, descent etc. I was worried that might deaden my legs, but that had no effect on my Thursday or Saturday runs so I must be past that point in terms of fitness.

To sum up: my training is going very well, I am reasonably confident of my ability to run the half marathon on Monday. I am ready to move to the next phase of my running: running just for running and fitness' sake rather than training for another race, with my focus no longer on building up to some special distance or time. And I am taking up added exercise regimens to increase my overall physical fitness.