Update - this is what I'm up to!

This week will be my 8th week of speed work.  Finally feel like I'm making some progress.  Not so much in race results yet, but I just feeling like I'm getting in shape.  I have also started to make tiny baby steps in getting my winter weight off.  Getting closer to my "race weight" which will be timed perfectly for my fall racing plans.  Just have to stay super focused on the goal.

Aug 7th - Bun Your Buns - 5 mile race - another disappointing race.  hills, heat, and humidity were not a winning combo for me, but it was still FUN to participate and to see a lot of runners out, in Aug., for a 5 mile race, with extreme heat.  I did win my age group, and a $25.00 gift certificate to Soccer Locker & City Runners.  I also sold some DryMax socks after the race, so it was a good day.  I ran 42:58 (8:38 pace - hee hee - this is just a little faster than my pr marathon pace).   I need to race more often on hills.  I train on hills most of the time, but I need much more race experience on the hills.  As mentioned before, I have been racing flat and fast courses for about 7 years, trying to pr in all race distances, so I do not have the race strength I need to race effectively on hills. I want to work on that!

Aug. 10th - the 1st of 4 Tues. night Trek the Trace - 2 mile predicted time runs.  Here's how it works.  You write down what you think you can run for 2 miles.  Everyone removes all timing devices,  and we run the 2 miles.  The person who is the closest to their predicted time wins the race.  This is fun because this gives everyone the opportunity to win the race.  This is not about who is the fastest, it's about pacing.  Tues. night Laura won - she predicted her finishing time exactly.  Yay Laura!  How did I do.  Well, as for the prediction - not so good, but the good news - I was on the FAST side of the prediction, and for me, that is always a welcome thing.  After the slow 5 mile race, I wasn't sure what to predict,  so I predicted 16:30.   I finished the race in 15:15 and was really happy with that.  This race is FLAT, on the asphalt Longleaf Trace (rails to trails).  Finally, seeing a little results from my speed work.  Woo Hoo!

 Melissa, Karen, Ginny - Trek The Trace - 2 mile predicted time run

Aug 12th - met Dawn, Vicki, and Terri to get reacquainted with "Honey Suckle Hill."  This is one of those workouts, that you REALLY DO NOT want to do solo.  Dawn and I ran this workout a couple of years ago, but for some reason we got away from it.  Dawn "called" the workout, and I was excited to join in.  Even with the 5:15 am start, this is a workout that I can get excited about because I know "it's a workout that I REALLY need."  For our first time back, we were a little conservative on the number of hill repeats, but we have a starting point, and we will build up the number of repeats. 

Aug 14th - today I needed to run 12 miles - I wanted to do a few miles with the guys to get a quick start.  I met Keith, Toby, Jim F., Phillip, and Chad came along with us.  This group is too slow for Chad (my hubby) but I was glad that he joined us.  I ran 3 miles with them on the USM campus,  @ 8:38 avg. pace.  Then I met Dawn, Terri, and Vicki.  Vicki was finishing up her mileage, but then Dawn, Terri, and I headed back to the hills.  I ran the next 7 miles with them, and then finished up my last 2 miles solo.  I was able to pick it up the last 2 miles.  Excited that I felt good after the quick start, and was able to finish strong.  I averaged 9:26 pace for the 12 miles.  I am happy with that.  I feel like I am building some strength, and I feel I will be "ready to run" when it cools off some.   I am happy to be running this pace in our current heat and humidity.  Hope to continue to build on it.

Chad & Scott after a recent Golden Meadow, LA bayou run.

Aug. run along Bayou Lafourche, LA

In the mean time, my goal is mixed.  I will continue to work on shorter speed work and 5k racing, but I will be building my long runs, and mileage for the marathon.   I have officially decided I will go with a 12 week marathon program from Advanced Marathoning.  I will be working toward "maxing-out" with 3 - 70 mile weeks prior to the Rocket City - Huntsville, AL marathon.  (my previous high is 63 miles for prior to St. George)  Since mid June, my mileage has been 30-40+ miles, except for occasional "step back"weeks.  This week, I will finish with 45 miles, after my 4 mile run today.  I will continue to gradually move up from here, in the weekly mileage.  I feel like I have a great base, and I hope that I can handle the increasing mileage.  Currently, I feel strong and ready to go for the mileage goal.  I want to see "what will happen" with the increasing mileage.  Will it help, will it be more than I can handle, who knows???.....but in the mean time, I will enjoy the journey, and the experiment.