Week -6 is done. I've had too hard workouts this week: 5 x 1000m and 15 mile long run with 12 miles at marathon pace.

My goal splits for the 1000s were 3:48 (far cry from the 3:37 I used to train at), at this was OK. Splits were 3:45, 3:47, 3:49, 3:50, 3:48, and no serious pain until the last one. A fairly crowded track, but pretty polite runners. Total mileage was 10. It was brutal to run a 12-miler the day after on tired legs, but I know it is by design.

Then after two easy days (one rest, one recovery), I ran the marathon paced run. My legs didn't feel good, even during warmup. The fast splits were 6:54, 7:06, 7:12, 7:05, 6:56, 6:56, 7:08, 7:11, 7:06, 7:03, 7:14, 6:55. Average of 7:04, which was my exact goal. But it was hard. So I'm definitely no better shape than this. 3:05-ish marathon. Said this way, it doesn't seem far from 3 hours, but considering it is some 15 seconds per mile slower, the difference is astonishing.

No question, there are no miracles in running. Training too little last summer/fall, you can't just start to run long and fast in the spring. It will be my fall cycle, where I can do something hopefully better. Definitely need more miles, stronger base, and longer training cycle is necessary.

Crazy to remember that we have only 6 weeks left.

Week -5:

Mon: 6 R w/ 6 x 100 ST

Tue: 12 MLR

Wed: Rest

Thu: 12 w/ 7 @ LT (6:40)

Fri: 5 R

Sat: 20 L

Total: 55 miles.

This is the most brutal week of this cycle. 7 miles LT is already crazy hard, then a 20-miler long run (3 miles longer than the longest so far) will make me feel like the last miles of a marathon. I will have to keep everything else on the slow side.

To be fair, the 18/70 plan has much harder weeks, and more very hard workouts, but of course, you are more prepared for those.

I have developed this system to (half jokingly) give medal prizes to workouts: the most brutal ones are the "gold medal workouts". There are three of them in Pfitzinger's plans: 7-mile tempo, 5 x 1200 m VO2 max, and long run with 14 miles at marathon pace. The 18/70 plan has all three. My current one only has one.