So I’m pondering re-arranging my training schedule a little. Why you ask? Well…I’m thinking I really want to run the Philly Distance Run again this year, as I had a great time and uhhh…a great *time* last year 🙂 And even though it falls around the time of Rosh Hashanah…I guess I wouldn’t be a bad daughter/sister/granddaughter/niece/cousin if I spent only one of the 2 nights with my family (hell, my brother and cousins have done that before…)
Why does re-arranging come into the picture? Well the original plan was a 20-miler that weekend, and racing a half the following weekend. But I am actually a little apprehensive about racing a half-marathon 4 weeks out from MCM…figured a week earlier would be better. And honestly…no training schedules are set in stone. One thing I definitely do want to avoid, however, is doing two 20-milers on back-to-back weekends. So one option I had was to start my 20s one week earlier which actually wouldnt be a problem for me…and it would work out for me as the weekend before the half, there is a bridges run like the one I did last year, and I’d like to be able to do the full 20 instead of cutting out early. And then do my last 20 on the same weekend as I have originally planned it-meaning I’d go 2 weeks between my second and third 20 instead of 1…and honestly, I don’t think the extra weekend would make me lose endurance or anything. The other option would be to push the last 20 to the following weekend and have a 2-week taper instead of 3. I’m leaning towards option 1 right now but any words of advice are welcome 🙂
So yeah, I know hitting times in workouts are fine and good, but I know having good races under my belt-and recovering well from them-are a better predictor and a bigger boost of confidence, as I learned last year. And racing workouts…just pointless. Case in point last nite when doing some tempo on the Harlem Hills. Based on last week’s 5K, my tempo pace should be between 7:35 and 7:55. Considering the paces I averaged were 7:44, 7:37 and 7:40, I’d say I nailed it perfectly 🙂 (and I’m telling you, looking at it by the half-mile splits really puts in perspective what a screaming downhill it is…and how nasty those uphills are!) The last repeat felt like a race of sorts, as someone who was supposed to be running with me was kinda sorta racing me. She pulled way ahead on the downhill…but proving that hill training has been working, I caught her on the uphill. But she kept looking over her shoulder and would constantly try to speed up whenever it looked like I was gonna overtake her. Kinda annoying when I’m trying to run within myself, run my own pace (and shouldn’t we be trying to work together instead of “racing”?)…but I didn’t let it throw me. And you know what? Let her “win” the workout. Race day…that’s another story. That’s when my “A” game is on 😉 Who’ll win now, huh? 🙂
training hard, hardly training... 
U c it all the time…people racing the workouts…they are "Legends In Their Own Minds." The rest of us just go out and "filet" them them up on race day. Ain't a better feeling!
hells yeah.;-)
This flygirl sounds like a "ruffian" with her language….is that how y'all talk up there in NYC…gonna have to come up there and meet u someday.
you couldn't handle it… 😉
you point out the exact reason why i don't like doing speedwork with others. For me, speedwork should be an opportunity for you to work on form, pacing, etc…it is more about what you learn about yourself rather than about how much faster/slower than you are compared to everyone else. I stay away beecause I can't handle that.I'm glad you stuck to your own pace.
Usually, there are pretty good people for me to work with and pace with. I think this one may have been just an outlier…
oooh, maybe i will do the philly distance run too! would be a nice "preview" for what's to come (assuming i am not on the DL at that time..)