The Spirit of the Plan

Week 13, Key Run #3: 15.8 miles in 2:10:24 min. @ 7:00 a.m.
Plan: 20 miles @ MP +60 sec/mile
Weather: Mostly Cloudy w/very Light Snow then turned Mostly Cloudy, 19°F, 65% Humidity, Wind: NE @ 5 mph; feels like 12°F.
Target Pace: MP +60 sec. = 8:26 min/per mile
Actual Tempo Pace: 8:16 min/per mile
Course: A slightly modified variation of Anne Knows Best 15 Miler (loop, mixed flat & hills, roads), made with the assistance of my wife, Anne, (pictured to the right below) using USATF Map It!

Pre-Run Ruminations: For the Week 13 Key Run #3, I am scheduled to run 20(!) miles at a pace of MP + 60 seconds, or 8:26 minutes/mile. Before even sitting down to plan a route, I decide to reduce the total from 20 to approximately 15 miles for a number of reasons, the most significant being that though I am following a plan intended for an experienced marathon (which I suppose I am having run 3 marathons and 17 miles of another), the lay-off I experienced from mid-December until February has set me back a little bit. My intention is to more properly fulfill each mileage benchmark of the plan as I move closer to the nine week point.

An obvious existing concern is the lingering ache in both my knees, an issue which I will likely simply need to manage for as long as I choose this "running endeavor." Given my 7+ miles yesterday (Saturday) my desire is to continue to honor the spirit of the plan while not overdoing, and 15 miles will make me feel as though I am doing just that.

I also feel that if I were to plan on running twenty miles and fall short (again) it might serve as a psychological deterrent to future planned l.s.d.s. The primary goal for a training run of this nature is, as always, to finish and to do so feeling confident and (with a little luck) "strong." So the adjusted plan is 15 miles at a pace of 8:26 per mile, equating to a total time run of approximately two hours and six minutes and thirty seconds (2:06.30).

On last weekend's Key Run #3 I ran 15.2 of a planned 16 in a time of 2:14.22, or pace of 8:50 min/mi. A fair goal would be to improve on the time and pace for last week's run of roughly the same distance.

Post-Run Reflections: I felt very strong this morning and bettered my time/pace from the previous week. To keep it short (for a change!) all in all, it was a wonderful morning run at fairly leisurely pace.

Breathe in, breathe out... you and I are alive!