Progressing through Progressions

So I'm running a half-marathon all the way off in May... Oh crap! That's like a little more than a month away!!! Time to get training...

So last monday I sat down to review my 2010 training log and what do I see... let's see:

Speed

3 - interval work outs a

3 - tempo runs a

Shamrock Shuffle: 5 miles at 6:30 pace a

Endurance

January 18: 10 miles

February 15: 10 miles

March 6: 11 miles

COMPLETE AND UDDER FAILURE (moo)

I had the best of intensions to work in some more long runs but then life (spending 16 hrs 2 Sundays ago driving back and forth across central Illinois to help an old college friend move) and running (last weekend's race fell on long run day) got in the way... so with 5 more weeks of training until race day it was time to re-evaluate my plan and start building up some stamina.

My solution: back off on tempo runs, increase mileage on Wednesday's mid-week run, & go long on Sunday's NO MATTER WHAT!!!!

So last Wednesday (3/24), instead of going the 5 GA I had scheduled, I squeezed in a 10 miler... turned out to be a good run at a good pace, but by the end I could definitely tell my stamina was lacking.

Then yesterday (3/28), I hit the Rock Island trail for a 12 mile progression run...

So, just in case you don't know, a progression run is a training run where you start off slower and then finish faster... there are multiple ways to accomplish this: 3/1 ( run the first three quarters of the run at long run pace and the last quarter fast), thirds (break your long run into thirds running each third faster than the last), super fast finish (run most of the run at long run pace but then run the last 3-5 miles at near race pace), etc...

For yesterday's run I choose to use my own personal spin on thirds/halves: First four miles at MP + 10-20%, second four miles steadily build up the pace, and final four miles really push it in...

Here's the splits:

First Third
Mile 1: 8:20
Mile 2: 8:04 (a little too fast, but I had to pass someone on the trail who was running just slightly slower than me)
Mile 3: 8:20
Mile 4: 8:24

Second Third
Mile 5: 8:17
Mile 6: 8:15 (gradually picking it up before the halfway point)
Mile 7: 7:46
Mile 8: 7:28

Final Third
Mile 9: 6:51
Mile 10: 7:14
Mile 11: 7:07
Mile 12: 7:10


To sum it up: great confidence building run, though i'm not going to lie... it took a lot of focus to maintain pace and form during the final two miles.

Also of note: first 12 miler ever!!! I checked my logs and I had seven 10 milers, a few 11 milers, a couple of 13 milers, but absolutely zero 12 milers!!!

Finally: Great week of working out, but I think I need to CHILL OUT... I feel great about my progress as a runner, which results in harder and harder training runs... I have to remember to slow it down sometimes and get in some easy runs (easier said than done)... otherwise it's only going to lead to staleness, burnout, or injury!!!

and Lastly: Thanks to anyone who read these random training ramblings... I think I need to start using my daily mile account, because I'm thinking that detailing my runs on a mile per mile pace basis does not make the most interesting blogger material :)