Week -10 is in the books. The LT run went well with an average pace of 7:06.5/mile, and that's on a hilly course. Sounds too good to be true, as it would point to a VDOT of 47-48. Long run was a bit hard at the end - I got a bit dehydrated. I ran a 8:20 average pace, which, again point to 47-48 VDOT, and even then it's borderline too fast.

So assuming 47, let's plan the next week.

M: Rest

T: 8 GA w/ 8x100 strides

W: 4 R

T: 11 MLR (so either skip TT, or run long after they finished)

F: Rest

S: 4 R

S: 16 w/ 10 @ MP

Total: 43 miles

The only tough one is Sunday, and the pace is a question. With 47 VDOT, it should be 7:40 (on mostly flat ground), but in the Parklands I'd be fine with anything sub-8. This will also be the highest mileage week since April 2022, if I succeed.

Things go well for now. For week -11, I finished my 9 mile general aerobic run during Thirsty Thursday hungover, and it was alright. I felt better after the first two miles. We had a good group, too. The Saturday 5-miler was a bit of a struggle in the midday heat (I had to cook later), but the Sunday marathon paced run was perfect.

I was meant to aim a 7:45 pace, because I intend to run my super hilly race at a 8:00 average, and I was too busy to drive to some hills, so I trained in the neighborhood. I was stronger than I expected. The splits for the last 8 miles averaged out to 7:34. I don't want to read anything special into this, but this was some fine run.

Week -10 already started. Here is the plan.

M: Rest

T: 11 MLR

W: Rest

T: 8 w/ 4 @ LT

F: Rest

S: 5 R

S: 15 MLR

Total: 39 miles.

I've already done the 11-miler yesterday, and it was fine. Indeed, quite a bit faster than I intended at 8:10 average. But I felt pretty good. The rest should be easy.

The lactate threshold run at Thirsty Thursday will be fun. I can't make it early, and I'll do the fast portion during the group run. The plan is to take off after the overpass, and do a fast 2 out and a fast 2 back. I'll have to add mileage at the end.

That week, I did finish. No issues. In fact, I felt pretty great even during my 12-mile run in the weekend. I've done that in Chicago.

Sunday nigh we drove back from Chicago. I only slept 5 hours, then I went to teach a motorcycle class. That's OK, Monday was to be rest anyway. But Tuesday, I slept until late (to pay back some sleep debt), then I had a Zoom meeting, and then practically, I had to go teach again. On Wednesday, I was on campus all morning, then to teach the motorcycle class. So another 3 days with zero training. Plus, some good amount of bourbon last night...

I think it would be very dangerous to jump back to the plan. My longest week was only 42 miles, and my next one would be 54. My longest run was 15 miles, and I would no have to do 18 this weekend, and 20 next.

But since this is week -11, I had this idea that I could just restart the training with the 12-week program. I won't be fast for my marathon, but I never meant to be. This means that I will have done a very extensive "endurance" block, but that also makes sense, because I did feel that my endurance was borderline sufficient when I started the 18-week plan.

So here we go. Week -11 of the 12-week program, or what remains of it:

T: 9 GA

F: Rest

S: 5 R

S: 13w/ 8 M

Week 10 will have a 15-miler, and I won't have a 20 until week -5.

A bit of a setback on week -13 and -12. After a nasty infected wasp sting (and too much hiking in the weekend), I skipped the 16-mile run on Sunday, and the next three days of training in week -12. I got back on the train with an 8-miler on Thirsty Thursday. The rest of the week (supposedly recovery):

F: Rest

S: 4 R

S: 12 MLR

This should be doable. The real question is if I can do the following one: 50 miles with a 5-mile tempo and an 18-mile long run. And some motorcycle teaching, and starting the semester.