The month of November is coming to an end, and it is time to look over my monthly totals.
I only went out once on my bike this month. This was mostly by choice, as I decided to really concentrate on building up a good running base. My yearly bike mileage total is holding at 1,919, so at some point in time next month I need to get out for another 81 miles to come up to an even 2,000.
I was able to keep up my 4 days a week schedule of running during my lunch hour. The only change from that was a week of vacation and Thanksgiving week. For the vacation week, I ran 5 straight days, two of which were for over 6 miles. For Thanksgiving week, I cut back to only three days, a bit of tapering so that I could run in the Ridgewood Turkey Trot 8K on Thanksgiving day.
I think the last 8K I ran was the Brazos River Run down in Waco, TX. My time then was just under 40 minutes. This past week, I was just under 1 hour. I don't think I will ever get back to my earlier pace, but I would like to drop down to under a 10 minute mile pace. That should happen with time.
My normal schedule of running 20+ years ago was to run 6 days a week. Monday, Wednesday, and Friday were 45 minute runs at a relaxed pace, Tuesday and Thursday were fast 30 minute runs, and Saturday was a slow one hour run. I remember my relaxed pace was between an 8 and 9 minute mile, my fast pace was just under a 7 minute mile, and my slow hour run was probably between 10 and 11 minute miles. That would have given me around 30 miles per week in a good week. I was probably closer to 25 miles most weeks.
My recent schedule has put me just over 20 miles per week, so I am getting close to what I used to do, just slower.
In looking over my run totals this month, I have gone on 17 runs for a total of 94.5 miles. I still have my run at lunch today, so I am planning on going for 5.5 miles, which will put me at a good round 100 miles for the month in 18 runs.
This weekend, I plan on doing my first 10K in a long time, the Southern Pines Reindeer Run. I am starting to look at the possibility of doing some longer runs, such as the Tobacco Road half marathon in March, and the Outer Banks marathon next November. I guess its time to start looking seriously at training schedules.
See you on the road.
