So Al's Run 8k is mid-September. This is the other race I've been consistently running for a period of time. I must say that the past 5 years I have run the Glacial 50k in early October, so that has become a staple. Al's run is a classic and also a team event. I run for Hillrunner.com and if anything really enjoy seeing the guys. In reality, it is the only time I see them during the year. After the run is the big picnic up at Ryan's crib. Good times! Like most years I figure I'll get in Zulu shape and storm the Bastille, but rarely do...or can. Last year was a comical 34:26 finish which is barely under 7 minutes a mile. Like most years I aim to improve upon that. But by how much? I figure it has to be a stretch goal so as penned earlier I pulled out 31:30 which is about 6:20 per mile.
Now that doesn't sound fast, but let me assure you it is for me. The year I ran 31:55 in 2015 I was training for the Lakefront Marathon and finished in 3:06:15 using the Beck program. I was in good shape. Maybe not 8k shape, but solid shape. Now I have to turn back the clock and consider training that is able to work the speed, be somewhat entertaining, and not be a whole heck of a lot of miles.
I've been around a long time and one thing I have never done over any period of time is run with the gas down (with a slight pull back) on many of my weekly runs. I was always interested in Ingrid Kristiansen's training because of the simplicity. I can't go into it here, but I would like to at least mirror the elements I remember. There are other legends out there who's training seemed fascinating to me like Jim Spivey and Eddie Eyestone, but if anything they give you ideas on workouts.
Let me first say that if you follow along with what I'm going to be doing it won't resemble any of these because of the necessary rest days and complete lack of speed or miles. My basic plan (sorry I don't know all the correct training language) is to run 30-40 minutes about 8 times a week and have two other runs during the week around 1:15 - 2:00 range. The 30-40 minute runs will hopefully be something like this; 2 as speed/tempo work, 4 as just under tempo, and 2 however I feel. The other 2 runs be one as longer hard effort and an easier longish run. That's pretty much it. Of course I'm going to have to work up to this and hope to eventually have one run be telephone pole pick-ups, another as 6 x 3:20, and the other as a tempo of 2 - 6 miles. Sure I'll adjust when necessary, but that's life. This is hard for me to communicate (or do even), but try and stay on the high aerobic side (mildly uncomfortable) as opposed to be anaerobic more than I like.
Let's see what happens. I might change next week, but this is the plan for now. At this point how many more aerobic runs can I do? Here is last week:
Mon = Off
Tue = 8k in 45:48 (5:43) Eagan, MN
Wed = Off
Thu = 10.8k in 1:15:41 (7:00) Men. Park w/ Dewey and Tim
Fri = 6.4k in 39:00 (6:06) Home
Sat = 10.9k in 1:15:36 (6:56) Men. Park w/ Tim
Sun = 8k in 40:13 w/ 6k in 28:09 (4:41.5) Bugline. That's only 7:33 pace!
Total = 44.1k
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