Week 10 seems like an easy week. I'm supposed to run three times for a total of 14 miles. On one hand, it already doesn't seem like enough--I feel like I should be running 23 or 24 miles this week, instead of backing off.  This is a real change in my attitude and ability from late August, when 14 miles a week seemed like plenty, and more than 20 miles a week seemed almost unreachable.  What this tells me is that my training program is working.  It's not enough to have a good training program--theory is great.  Practice is better.  I printed my training program out in August, and put on the refrigerator so I could find it (you wouldn't believe how many training programs I've lost or forgot to enter data on the computer for).  Not only can I find it, but everyone in the house can see what I'm doing on any given day.

One of the things I like about this training program is that it uses periodization.  My ultimate goal is to run the Seattle Half Marathon on November 30th. Over the past four weeks, I increased my mileage from 15 miles per week to 22.7, and this week is meant to give me an active rest before heading into the last four weeks before the race.  This program alternates four weeks of increasing mileage and faster paces with one week of easy mileage at a more moderate running pace. 

Here's what I am supposed to do and what I plan to do in parentheses. I'm still tired from my long run and I have a race on Sunday, so I am going to switch the schedule around a bit.

M Easy run 5 miles (cross training)

T Rest/cross training (run)

W Easy run 5 miles (cross training)

Th Rest/cross training (run)

F  Rest/cross training (cross training)

S  Easy run 4 miles (rest)

S  Rest/cross training (race)

Aside from resting this week, I'll have to remember to enjoy the extra burst of energy and not do anything stupid like sprain an ankle playing basketball or pull a muscle playing soccer.

I've always been intrigued by articles and training programs like "Five weeks to a fast 5K." There's no way I could go from zero conditioning to running 3.1 miles in a race, so clearly, I need to have some sort of a base. And as a masters runner (over 40), it's become more apparent that what I need is a year round plan, which includes running and weightlifting and some form of crosstraining, even before I get around to doing anything like speedwork.

Right now, I'm on a system that involves two hard weeks and one easy week. I know that there are two races that will be significant for me in 2009--one in the summer and a second one in December, so I know I have plenty of time to train--to lay down a better endurance base, improve my strength and speed--and to peak for races.

So what's my secret? The first is to have a plan. I checked out the Runners World website, went to Smart Coach, and plugged my numbers in, so I know how fast and how hard to run in training. The second thing I did was to go to the Training Peaks website, and put more data in, to come up with a system of how much to train. One of the big differences is that Smart Coach has me training hard for three weeks in a row, with a fourth week being about recovery, and Training Peaks, has the 2:1 approach. Time will tell. Right now, because of some stuff I'm involved with, I'm working out too much, but that will get sorted out in a few weeks.  Meanwhile, my race times are about what they always have been with the difference being that I feel stronger during the races.