Getting ready for the next training cycle

My spring running was full of ups and downs, but I have to admit that I pretty pleased with the results. I got a solid marathon time from Disney. My 5k times have been okay. All thou they were not anything spectacular. But then, I wasn't really focused on a lot speed work. Really, I started to have more confidence in my hamstring after the Palmetto relay. Running 4 hard runs across a little more than 12 hours and it not cracking was more than I expected.

My 10 miler wasn't what I hoped it would be. The race was a solid effort but somehow I thought I was capable of breaking 60 minutes.

I only did a couple of more 5ks afterwards. But I was consistently clocking some solid 75 to 80 mile weeks. And best of all, I was starting to feel better about running again. I was feeling stronger doing runs.

Last week, I took some real down time and only ran 4 miles each day. I have not done anything like it in a long time. I decided to extend it into this week as well. But I upped the mileage slightly to 7 miles each day. I couldn't see lying around my house and only running 4 miles per day. Maybe I should be. Hindsight is always 20 – 20. But the itch to run is starting to rumble again.

That's good. Because next week I start my next training cycle that will lead to my OBX effort in the fall. Last year, my 2:57 wasn't exactly the stellar performance that I wanted. This year, I am going in with some very realistic goals. I would like to run 2:45 to 2:47. That's 5 to 8 minutes faster than Disney but if my training progresses well through the summer and fall, I feel it is a realistic goal.

Like anything else, I have to be the one to make it happen. No backing down and no backing away.

 

Sharing one thought at time,

The Cool Down Runner