#mastersrunner

Despite the trials, I am glad I did this and I’m proud to have been able to run a half again after 7 years away. Yesterday was not my day, but I’m on my way to getting better again. That said, I think this fall, I’ll stick to a “normal” HM like Richmond or Philly. Now for some rest and recovery.

I’m putting the finishing touches on training for next week’s half marathon. Today the long run was just 8 miles, the first 7 of them easy and the last mile at goal pace. I’ve come a long way in this training cycle, and while I am not where I want to be yet, I am pleased with where I am. I am avoiding the temptation to pin a time goal on this race, but I’m feeling optimistic about a good outcome. 6 days until start time.

4 miles today in the rain to finish out the week at 38 miles. That doesn’t sound like a huge number but it’s the most I have done in very long time and that’s because I recently made a decision to step up my level. After a disastrous race performance a month ago, I resolved that something had to change. The 20-mile or so weeks I was doing just weren’t getting it done, and it was time to stop using age, busy-ness, and work/life responsibilities as excuses. We all have things as amateur mere mortal athletes to deal with, and others like me are making it work. In other words, the problem was me and I can fix that. It was time to be the change I want to see, and I decided to get to work. So far I am glad I did.

I'm leaning right now towards Richmond as my fall target half (11/14/2026). If I do that, I would start training in late July. Until then, I can do a couple months of maintenance, and maybe run some short races to build up speed. It will be nice to just do what I feel like for a while before I have to lock in again. And maybe take a nice summer vacation, too.

Also, I forgot how much I really like my Asics Magic Speed. That may very well be the shoe that toes the line next month.

It was another 10-miler this weekend, actually planned as a 90-minute run with the last 20 minutes at a “faster pace.” The first 70 minutes went smoothly but then when the 20-minute segment started I was at the bottom of a steep hill. So even though I stepped up the effort, I was just not hitting the target pace. I had to settle for the satisfaction of at least getting faster as the segment progressed. Some days go like that. But I’ve been there before and I’m not worried. I know that as long as the effort is there, the performance likely will be there on race day. On to the next workout…race day in 6 weeks.

I finished up a step-back week in this half marathon cycle today with a long run that a few weeks ago would have felt very long, but today, not so much. I’ll be back to hitting 13-14 miles next weekend. As for today, since it was shorter, I added in some threshold miles to keep things interesting, 3 miles with a half-mile recovery after each of them. The first one was pretty quick but on the next two I slipped back. I guess that just means there is more work to be done. And it will be. I will be fit by race day. 7 weeks to go.