Running Around 5-28-06

It was fun to get out and run at Expo this weekend. It wasn't quite race intensity (or even tempo intensity) for me, but it felt good to run a little faster that I have been. I hope everyone had a good race. It was a little warmer than what we've had the past few weeks. But it's tradition for Expo to be our not-so-gentle introduction to warm, humid conditions.

Now ... we've almost completed the training cycle; there is one more requirement: rest. Take some time off to let your body recover. If I hadn't been injured, following a long stretch of training, I will usually take a week or 10 days with no running . Cross-training is good too. At the very least, cut back your mileage and take a few extra days off this coming week.

The next few weeks, I won't be providing a structured workout. Instead, I'll encourage everyone to take a break from the track and do some road runs. We'll still meet at the track at the usual time, but we'll group up according to pace & distance to run along the river or bike trail or whatever you want to do. Unstructured and relaxed is the theme for the next few weeks.

Why the break? Well, we can't be at our best all the time. That's why we're following a periodized training cycle. Part of that cycle is rest, recovery and base-building. We are in the rest & recovery stage right now. That' s why I'm suggesting some time off. Throughout the summer we will work on building a solid base which will support our track work in the next cycle.

Unless I get additional feedback, my plan for the summer/fall is to do a road racing schedule suitable for 5-15k races as well as a fall marathon schedule. For the marathon schedule, I'll make it generic with "weeks until the race" so that can adjust the schedule according to your race date. As always, if anyone has specific questions regarding training, don't hesitate to ask.