Training Thoughts

It's looking like running over the winter is helping me out quite a bit. Looking over last years' running I'm noticing that my HR is about 15 beats lower and I'm running 20 to 30 seconds per mile faster. I'm also 7 to 9 lbs lighter than this time last year.

Have I made my winter running goals? Of course I have but I still want more and don't plan on cutting running down at all. I want to stay at 45 miles per week if time and health allows. It is much easier to run under 8 min/mile pace now where that allways seemed like a barrier to me before. In fact the last 2.4 miles of my long run on wednesday were at a 8:01, 7:52 and a 7:48 pace while HRs were 143, 147 and 146, still much lower than my cap of 148 that I figured I should stay below while base building. I've paid a bit more attention to HR this winter, not running to it much but still guaging my efforts from it. Running in the low 140 most of the time has kept the stress down and allowed me to run longer.

Weekly running during the off season starting with the week ending Oct 8
29.5 miles, 29.3 miles, 30.3 miles, 30.5 miles
40.2 miles, 40.5 miles, 45.6 miles, 45.8 miles
45.2 miles, 53.5 miles, 46.2 miles, 45.3 miles
38.5 miles, 46.2 miles, 33.6 miles, 34.0 miles
3.3 sick, 50.7 miles, 27.6 swim meet, 46.7 miles
43.0 miles, 30.5 swim meet, 50.4 Last week

I really need to focus on biking now, as much as I have on the running. Whenever it's warm enough I'll be on the bike. 3 two hour bike rides plus 1 more hour is where I'll try to start while working one of those rides to 3.5 hours by mid-April. I have to start thinking about interval planning but that should be a week or two away.

Swimming will start to take a back seat but not forgotten. I want to work on shorter faster stuff since that is where I am the weakest. Pulling with paddles has historically been very benificial to me so I will continue it, just have to be carefull not to hurt my shoulders like I did last November. Looking to get 9 to 12 K a week in 3 to 4 swims.