Ah yes. Permit me a perhaps lengthy aside. *ahem* Remember where, in the sign up thread, I said I had trouble being consistent? Here's the longer version.<br><br>
I started Hal Higdon's Intermediate II Marathon Training Plan (hereinafter HHI2). the weee of May 7. It has taken me a <i>long time</i> to get the trick down of running 4 miles without walking. I don't know why, but it did. Then one day in January of this year, it just happened. I don't want to lose it.<br><br><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Adjustment 1 to HHI2</span>: all 3 mile runs to 4 miles runs, adjust longer short runs accordingly (4 becomes 5, 5 becomes 6). I left the "sorta long runs" (Wednesdays and Saturdays) the same.<br><br>
I have been rock solid on the weekdays. If I don't get up in the morning - my biggest problem - I go to the gym at lunch. This has not been an option on the weekends. I just don't want to do long runs on the dreadmill!<br><br>
Next, I knew I was going to go on vacation the week of 7/2. I'm heading up to Flagstaff, AZ. That's going from approx. 1200 ft elevation to approx. 7000 ft.! As such, I plan to take it easy on the running.<br><br><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Adjustment 2 to HHI2</span>: Start one week early, put a vacation week between Week 8 and Week 9. This vacation week I'm planning on doing about 3 miles everyday. If I don't get to them, I don't get to them. However, I want to get to them so I don't lose too much fitness.<br><br>
Between missing long runs due to basic laziness and also a nasty cold that took me out for about a week, I got way behind on long runs. So, I had to fix that.<br><br><span style="text-decoration:underline;">Adjustment 3 to HHI2:</span> <b>Totally</b> reconfigure long run schedule due to failure to execute in early Weeks. For instance, I should be doing 17 miles this weekened for Week 8. I'm going to do 15. I will be gradually, just as Higdon does, stepping up to 20 mile weeks. I do plan to run a couple 20 miles back to back.<br><br>
Based on that, <span style="text-decoration:underline;">Adjustment 4 to HHI2:</span> Slightly reconfigure weekly runs. I like Higdon's idea of stepback weeks. However, I don't like how he steps back <i>every week</i> after a 20 miler. That may be wise, but I'm gonna try being foolhardy. So, I'm going to do more of the 6/10/6/10/20 weeks (I think, w/o looking at my schedule) than he says to do. But then, I'll have a step back week that is a little less mileage than his stepbacks after.<br><br>
You see, I'm only <i>allegedly</i> doing HHI2. I like the themes. I like the bit of variable pace - adjustment 5 might be making almost all (instead of merely most) weekend sorta longs at M pace instead of E pace.<br><br>
More than you wanted to know, isn't it? <img alt="biggrin.gif" src="http://files.kickrunners.com/smilies/biggrin.gif"><br><br>
I did a 14 miler last weekend, despite rising late, because I thought to myself: My goodness, how in the heck am I gonna do VRAA if I don't do my weekend long runs, not to mention survive a September marathon with my dignity intact!<br><br>
So, it's already working. I hope I can be an encouragement to you kruss as I know you are/will be to me.<br><br>
Cheers,<br>
Billy