I've been able to put my calf issues behind me and have logged some solid weeks of training-- 23 two weeks ago, 25 last week and 14 so far this week, on my way to 26. That would mean that next week would be a lighter mileage week, ramping down to about 20.
In place of Wednesday tempo or speedwork, I've started adding sprint intervals to my midweek runs. Base pace seems to be about 9:30 for me these days, and at 8, 17, 26, 35 and 44 minutes, I upped the pace to about 7:30 per mile, for nine-minute cycles. I'm not aiming for a particular speed, just to up the effort for a minute. Last week I started with every nine minutes for a 9:1 ratio, this week 8:1. It's not tremendously difficult at this point, but I'm certain it will be as the ratios drop.
I'm also rotating between three pairs of shoes these days. My Adrenalines, Saucony Guide 4 and the new Pearl Izumi Shift. The Pearls are the new dogs on my block, and they're what I did 6.5 in last Saturday and 6 today. I notice they're a little shallower in the tow box. It means my big toes feel something on them. I'm used to a little more space in that area, and it's taking some getting used to. No pain to report, just something different.
I also do not have any races on my horizon. I'm considering a marathon next February, the Mercedes-Benz Marathon in Birmingham, AL. We're not at a point right now where we can spend a wad of cash for a far away race, so this is an advantage in that I can sleep in my bed, less than an hour away.
It also means it's time to draw up a plan, stick to it, and make some sacrifices to get it done.
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