7 weeks left

So I have 7 weeks left before my 30K and I must say I'm not feeling ready.  In reality I have 5 good weeks of training before I really need to start to taper if for this thing.  I have a few races I'm signed up for before then but really there much shorter but will give me an Idea of how I will do in PA.  Tonight the goal was 4 miles on a treadmill.  4 miles piece of cake right?  Not on a treadmill.  and to make it worse, the secondary goal was to keep my heart rate 140 + or - 5 bpm.   That is an incredibly slow jog to a fast walk to me but Ive been reading about these recovery runs being crucial to training.  Also been reading about intensity training which I am used to already and how to Mix it up and get the most out of it.  Obviously I will keep my long runs for the miles but I'm changing some stuff up and doing some more intensity and Hill workouts.  So 7 weeks left.  Tonight felt pointless but Id like to work 5 of these into my week.  an extra 20 easy miles in addition to my normal training.  Well see, that's a little ambitious right now but maybe I can work up to it and introduce it into my next training schedule.

So Saturday 6.75 miles with good incline averaged 13:20 second miles.  that not bad over the 1600 feet of incline.  Id like to be closer to 12 min miles for this race and I think I can do it at sea level.  Yesterday (Sunday) I ran a 2 mile warm up, Lifted (deads, clean and press, and bench), then I did some sprint Drills, my first organized ones, I did them on the Track, a 1/16 mile track, alternating sprint with walk for 16 laps.  so I sprinted 1/2 mile total.  Ill start to increase on those.  A final 1 mile jog in my minimalist shoes ended my workout.  Today my 4 miles was a recovery.  Tomorrow?  I'm going to sleep on it.   I am thinking a Progression run but well see.

Success and Failure

I stole this title from a friends blog post I read a while back.  While physically hes much fitter than I we still use the titled terms in similar ways.  These two things are crucial to my (as is true for anyone) development as a person.  When I started to succeed at most of the things I was trying I realized something....  I just wasn't doing things that were hard enough.  Failure is part of life.  This is foreign to recent generations...  Peoples parents take care of them till their 30...  They get a trophy no matter what place the come it... Most people will not push themselves if they are always a winner.  But there are a few who will.  I few who watching someone finish before them just wont be enough.  A few who aren't satisfied till they have surpassed a goal they have set themselves.  People say they cant or Ill try will always fall behind.  I learned at a young age while roofing what Yoda said best.  "Do. or do not... There is no try" My good friend George taught me that as it applies to the real world.  A lesson ill never forget and think about nearly every day.  I guess my rambling brings me to my recent failures.  My running has not been up to par.  One week 18 miles the next 6...   Work travel has prevented it.  but this is just an excuse.   Why is it human nature to make excuses?  It hasn't prevented it, it has made it harder.  If I'm not up for the challenge I should just give up.  BUT, I'm not ready to give up.  I want to run.  I may not have gotten all the runs I planned in but some have been there.  I did a BUNCH of vertical feet skinning on my skis last weekend and plan on doing more this weekend.  I am also planning on a LONG run.  over 10 miles.  I don't care how long it takes, Sunday I will go over 10 miles.  I am signing up for 5 races here locally between 5 and 15 miles and one race back in Birdsboro for when I travel home in July.  should I do the 15K or the 30K?  I know at that altitude I could finish well in the 15K.  Its well within my ability I'm guessing id be in the 1:45 - 2 hour range.  But I wont win and really wont challenge myself.  Why not DO the 30K.  I know I can.  Much more of a challenge...  why am I doubting myself here?  I am not afraid to fail not because its not a possibility, it's always a possibility,  that's what makes it fun.  I am not afraid to fail because I know I wont!