Week 16 Recap

Bruce Jenner: I can barely remember this week. Talk about going through the motions. Let's see, it was something like ... S(12), M(6), T(3, supposed to be a double), W(9, hills), R(off), F(6), S(9, race). Total=45 miles. I just got back from the Tipp Hill 4 Mile Shamrock Run, which was a disappointment. I ran 22:07 for fourth, which doesn't sound awful, but I really blew up the second half, running splits somewhere in the range of 5:00, 5:20, 5:55, 5:50. Granted, the course was largely downhill through two miles and uphill for most of the second half. It didn't help that around 3.5 miles in a volunteer told me to go the wrong way. Fifty meters after that I got to a fork where there was no one around. I had to call back to the guy behind me who didn't know which way to go either. Someone further back yelled left, and on we went. So, in summary, while 22:07 isn't bad, I think I could have been under 22 minutes even if I wasn't going to catch third place (William Hoyne). Next week is the half marathon. I'm going to see how 6 minute pace feels and if I blow up, so be it.

Fred Samara: S(10), M(9), T(9), W(8), R(7), F(0), S(14). 57 miles total. Not a bad week. Only three miles below my high since the inception of the blog, but when I hit 60 I ran for seven days. I was actually building toward bigger things, but I felt awful Thursday night and cut my run short, and then it was raining when I got home Friday. No way in hell was I dragging myself through a run in the rain at the end of a work week. (Just so I don't seem like a baby, it was raining throughout my entire run today.) My plan for the half is almost the exact opposite of Bruce's. My primary aim is to make sure I don't blow up under any circumstances. I'm going to start out at 7 minute pace, go about that fast (maybe a little faster if I feel good) for eight miles, and then see what happens. No way could I make it four miles at 6 minute pace right now.

Gordon: S(10) M(5) T(5) W(5) R(3) F(3) S(4) 35 Total. I would feel bad, but it was hard getting back to work. My plan is to put in a normal week and run through the half marathon regardless of time. Ross, I'll probably stick with you since you know what you're doing over longer distances and I don't.