Weekly Update

I suppose a weekly update is better than the non-existent updates lately. I survived another summer week. And I had a pretty good week of training. I'm getting stronger, but not really faster. That's ok. I'll take whatever improvement comes along.

I also had a silly revelation this week. I say silly because I knew it already, but for some reason I didn't behave as if it were true. That silly revelation is that a day that begins with a run is better than a day that doesn't. I've known that to be true for over three years now, but I had let myself get in the habit of sleeping in. I was sometimes getting in my runs in the afternoon or at lunch, but the day was just not right because it didn't begin with a run. The extra hour of sleep did not make me feel better. The hour or so of running did. Besides that, a run as the first thing in the morning just sets up the day.

I got in a decent track workout with five 1200m intervals. I kept them all around 4:26. Not great, but not bad considering the heat I was running in. I got in a long tempo run of about 11 miles total with about 7 miles near 7:00 per mile pace. That run did not feel good at all. I was just happy to survive it. It was hot that day, too. And today's 17 miler put me at 60 miles for the week. I think I'm ready to begin training for something. But what?

Also, this week, I made the decision to forego a fast fall marathon. I am planning to be a pacer for the Rocket City Marathon. Pacing the marathon last year was an incredibly rewarding and fun experience. I have to do that again. I just can't resist getting in a nice long run and helping people achieve their goals at the same time. Not to mention, it's an opportunity to run a marathon without hurting! I gotta take advantage of that! I don't know what pace group I'll be leading this year, but I hope it's the 3:45 group again. I already have the shirt. :)

So, I'll probably make this fall/winter the year of the ultra for me. I may get in my first 50 miler. I'll run as many trail races as my schedule permits. I'm pretty excited. I'll pick out a 2012 marathon soon.