5 X 3 = 13.1

So after taking yesterday off and lower mileage since Friday, I went out for a 5 mile run at lunch today. I still have 5 to run at the end of the day and 5 more tomorrow. Then I'm off till Sunday morning for my half marathon. When I train, I usually do speed/hill work once a week, a recovery run the day after my LR's and take one day a week off. During my LR's, I usually will do a section of them at MP, instead of a tempo run. For example, if I do a 21 mile run, I will do 7 warm up, 7 at MP, then finish the last 7 in a cool down, with the warm up and cool down somewhere in the 8:00-8:15 per mile range. Wednesdays and Saturdays re usually just mileage days for me. I usually just rack up about 25-30 miles those 2 days, paying attention to form, gait, and getting miles in without hurting myself, and without going overly fast. I am usually in the 8:00 minute range per mile on these things as well. Mostly because I'm usually tired and that's what my body will give me without really pushing it on days I'm not supposed to. I run fast on the days I'm supposed to, the one's I'm not, I don't. It's how I've stayed healty through 2 marathon training sessions when before I couldn't through a few 5k's.

So I stepped out for the first of my 2 five mile runs today. I never felt good, I never felt bad. I never really pushed myself that much, just trying to maintain and recover for the upcoming half. I didn't feel like I was giving any more effort than I would on just a normal Wednesday run, but my mile times dropped to about 7:30 per average. Rest and recovery are a beautiful thing people. I feel strong, ready to tackle this half marathon. I've struggled a little this week as it loomed. With all the miles I log during training, sometimes it's hard for me to gauge how strong I am, how fast I can go untill I taper. I have gone from very nervous to very encouraged with todays run.

That's all for today, cheers...