Training Plans, Oh Training Plans

I've so missed the obsessive compulsive ritual that is "the training plan" for an endurance runner.  I've put together a training plan mapping out the next several months leading up to the Whistler 50, and I've also picked out another race that I think would be a good training run the month prior, the Flora Lake 50K.  I'm hoping to turn the Flora Lake 50K into a camping trip with the family, and then I can roll out of my tent on race-day and run my first ultra.  Although I haven't done either yet, I really view my first ultra as my first 50 miler, hopefully the Whistler 50.  A 50 km race just doesn't seem that much further than a marathon to me, and, to be honest, I think I could have done another 5 miles after my last marathon relatively easily.  The fact of the matter is that I didn't do another 5 miles after my last marathon, and the only way I'll find out how easy that is, is to do it this September.

As for my training plan, I've decided to alternate between a base week of 38 miles, and a volume week that ranges from around 40-60 miles, with long runs ranging from 12 miles to 31 miles (Flora Lake 50K).  Originally I planned on running a 35 mile training run, but I think the 50K will provide better preparation for the 50 miler even though it's a bit shorter, not to mention the Flora Lake course looks absolutely gorgeous!

As for April, I managed to stick to my training plan, for the most part.  I missed 2 runs, but considering I'm just getting my running legs back under me, I think that's pretty good.  I'm getting really excited for summer, and some nice running weather.  To say that running conditions in Vancouver, BC can be unpredictable, is a huge understatement.  Last week I went from warm and sunny, to cold with hail in a single run.  I even got blasted with a huge spray of seawater one windy morning on the seawall, after running past two sailboats that had run aground in the winds.

Happy Running!

Back in the Saddle

It's felt great to get back into running.  I've logged around 50 miles since my last post, and I've been really surprised by how quickly by legs have adjusted.  I started out expecting it to be a really, really, really long 1-2 months of building up mileage again.  I've certainly stayed active, but nowhere near the level of endurance I had when I ran the Marine Corps Marathon or the Gar Williams Half around two years ago.

I remember building up to my first marathon in 2009, and I felt like a 9-mile training run was such an accomplishment.  Every new feat from there on was incredible in my eyes.  I was convinced that I ran 22 or 24 miles in my longest training run (I didn't have a GPS watch at the time).  I ran for 3 hours and, in hindsight, I think I actually only ran about 18 miles or so.  I came to that brutal realization during the 2009 Seattle Marathon.  I felt great up until around miles 18-20, and then I completely fell apart.  My first marathon took me 1 hour and 22 minutes longer than my longest run in preparation for that marathon.  That's a big difference!

Fast forward to this last two weeks, and I threw down two 10-mile runs with very little effort.  That's something that took me months to build up to before.  Of course, I've run several other shorter runs over the last two weeks, but it's the 10-milers that made me really feel good about my running ability and my general level of fitness.  Granted, I haven't been worrying about speed in the slightest.  I plan to just log the miles for the first 1-2 months.

I'm still thinking about the timing for my first ultra, but the front-runner so far is the Whistler 50.  I haven't registered yet, but I think I will soon!

Happy Running!