Monster Week

I ran 69.3 miles this week! I think that has to be my all-time high weekly mileage. My monthly total was 223 miles which is also an all-time high and that was in only 28 days. So far I've been able to up my mileage while continuing to be injury-free.

Here's how the week added up:

Monday - 10 miles in 1:59:24, this was an interval session and I tried something different. I ran 16 200s at an 8:00 pace. The rest of the 10 miles was a warm-up, recovery between the intervals (walk at a brisk pace for 1:30) and finished up with slow running.

Tuesday - 5 miles in 58:40

Wednesday - 10 miles in 1:57:31

Thursday - 5 miles in 59:21

Friday - 4 miles on a sucky hotel treadmill, alternated power walking up an incline with slow running with no incline.

Saturday - 10.13 miles in 2:01:07

Sunday - 25.17 miles in 5:00:00

This week I plan to pull back about 15% before one last monster week and then taper time for my 50 miler!

Hello Spring

I just got back from a great 15 mile run. The temperature was around 60, and the sun was shining so I could soak up lots of Vitamin D. I ran at a comfortable pace and finished in 2:53:18 for a pace of 11:34. This brings my running streak to 56 days. (They actually put a new belt on the world's suckiest treadmill so I was able to keep the streak alive!)

A quick review of my training this week:
Sunday - 3.93 miles on the treadmill, alternating half miles; an incline of 8.o and speed of 3.5 mph with slow running at 5.3 mph and zero incline
Monday - 9.23 miles in 1:50:00
Tuesday - 4.74 miles in 55:00
Wednesday - 9.7 miles in 1:50:00, this was a tempo run with 6 miles at a 10:54 pace
Thursday - 4.64 miles in 55:00
Friday - 4.88 miles in 55:00

Total mileage for the week was 52.12 miles. Next week's long run will be a 5 hour Time On Feet exercise at my ultra pace, I also plan on doing intervals one day next week. Five weeks until the 50 miles at Umstead.

Streaking

Today marked my 49th day in a row of running at least 3 miles a day. I have been lucky enough to stay healthy so far and my training is going very well. Tomorrow may be a day off, I'm staying at a hotel with the world's suckiest treadmill and the forecast is for a high of 27 and a 40% chance of snow. Right now the plan is to do a "hill" workout on the sucky treadmill. It is terrible to run on, but tolerable for walking, so I'm planning on cranking the incline up to 10-12 and then power walking for 45 minutes. Or, I may be surprised and they bought a new treadmill since the last time I was there. (yea right, in this economy they are going to spend a couple of thousand dollars on a new treadmill)

This weeks mileage was a grand total of 55 miles thanks to two long runs this week. Because of my schedule I had to do last week's long run this Monday and this week's long run on Friday. I had planned on doing mile repeats on Wednesday, but failed miserably. I had scheduled myself for 4 one-mile repeats at a 10:00 pace with recovery miles at a 12:00 pace. I managed to get two before dying and finishing the run at a slow pace. However, I was able to recover nicely for my 4 hour run yesterday. I ran at my ultra pace, which is 8.5 minutes running and 1.5 minutes walking, and managed to log 18.5 miles in the 4 hours.

Six weeks until my big first test of 50 miles at Umstead, I'm starting to get excited!

Not One, But Two!

If you look to the right at my race schedule you will see that I have chosen which 100 mile race will be my first attempt...the Burning River 100. But wait, it also says Javelina Jundred. Have I lost my marbles? Probably, but indulge me while I discuss my rationalization.

After doing a lot of research, I decided to run Burning River for several reasons. It is easy for me to get there, there isn't a lot of high terrain, and previous runners have assured me it is well supported and a good fit for first-timers. My hand was actually shaking as I clicked the "submit" button for my entry, but I did it, I entered my first 100 mile race.

Then Jessica had to comment on my blog and offer to pace me. (Even though I've never met you, I think blog comments count as a written contract, so I'm counting on you for at least 30 miles) I looked at the dates and realized there were three months between the races. I should be recovered in three months, right? RIGHT?? Before I knew it, I was filling out another race entry form and clicking the "submit" button again.

Both of these races have the potential of filling up which is why I am entering so early. They also have an option of getting a partial refund if you back out by a certain deadline, so its not like I'm taking a spot from someone else.

Having these two runs on my calendar gives me several options. The best option of course is to run and complete both of them. If, however, something goes wrong on my first race, I can learn from my mistakes, have three months to recover, and still have an entry spot to the Javelina Jundred. If Burning River takes too much out of me, I can still run the JJ100 and take the "wimp out" option and run 100k.

So, how is that for rationalization? Here I am, longest run to date is only 37 miles, and I have not one, but two 100 milers on my calendar. Please tell me I'm not insane!