Base Rebulding

Now this is more like it.  I mentioned that I abandoned my "mile-race training" a few weeks ago.  My heart wasn't in it and I was itching to start running some "real" miles again.  I had a run on Wednesday night of almost 9.5 miles, mainly due to getting lost in "The Prairie!"  Thanks for the run, Eugene!  I have now had two weeks over 50 miles and feel really good about it.  I actually felt a little sore and fatigued (the good kind of sore and fatigued) last night.  That was because I did a nice speedy track work-out of about 8 miles on Friday night, followed by long run of the week (12 miles) on Saturday night.  (Boy, do I know how to party on a Saturday night!)  The long also included some miles at GA pace and a nice, long, fat hill that runs along Christmas Lake to finish.  All in all it was a pretty easy pace, but I really was feeling it before bed.  I'm going easy today and then run the Meet of the Miles at the U of M fieldhouse tomorrow.  Not expecting great results, maybe to break 5:35 without puking is achievable!

My goal for this week is to break the 60 mile barrier for the first time since September.  I also see some two-a-days in my future.  All signs of my plantar fasciitis are gone, except for lingering pain when I first get up.  Not even sure if this is PF; it just may be some normal old age pains or possibly some arthritis.  It only lasts for a few minutes every morning or occasionally if I don't get up and move around for an hour or so.  Nothing like the pain I had last summer though.

I got my first marathon clinic student signed up.  He is a second-time marathoner (about my age) looking to improve on his 4:45 time at Minneapolis last year.  He went from no running to marathon in 13 weeks, so with a running base, 18 full weeks of training and my tutelage we should have running well under 4:30 by June.  He is eager and enthusiastic, so it should be fun.  Let me know if you know anyone looking to run a spring/early summer marathon who is looking for a little coaching from a "seasoned" runner. 

Happy Running!