Training Progress and This Week’s Plan

Last week I got in just over 33 miles and I got to the gym 3 times to lift and do core work. 

I’m usually a low mileage runner (for past marathons I have only ran 25-30 miles a week), so I’m happy with a 33 mile week leading up to a half marathon.  My body didn’t mind the mileage and it didn’t seem hard at all.  The only thing that got me was the trail run.  My quads haven’t felt like this in forever (like comparable to how they feel after a marathon), but it is a good pain! 

I am also curious as to how lifting will help me.  I want to lift at least 3 days a week, if not more.  I am feeling stronger and starting to increase the amount of weight that I can lift.  It has been nice to have Jeff “coach” me on what and how to lift. 

Because I did not create a specific training plan, it has been fun to take training week by week.  I can adjust my workouts according to what is going on in my life and how I feel.  I’m liking this approach and don’t feel locked in to a specific formula and don’t feel guilty if I am not doing “what the training plan tells me to do.”  It will be interesting as to how I perform race day!

This week I’d like to get in the following:

- Tempo Run, 1 mile warm-up, 4 miles around a 7:00 pace, 1 mile at sub-7:00 pace, cool down

- Hill Repeats, 2 mile warm-up, 8 hill repeats, cool down

- Long Run of 12 miles, last 4 miles at 7:00 pace

- Other 3 days, run and lift; no specific plan on mileage or pace, just run more than 3 miles each run