The training plan: Pfitz 12 week/55 mile max, modified to add an extra easy run or two each week and to switch one of the easy runs to a hill workout of some sort. Oh – and I miscounted the weeks, so I actually did 13 weeks of training! I think I did a good job of meeting the goals I set for myself.
The extras: weights; pilates; biking (stationary) for cross training
The good: I feel really happy that I got in a solid training cycle, with all the extras added in, during our ultra cold and ultra snowy Minnesota winter.
The bad: The ultra cold and ultra snowy Minnesota winter interfered with some of the scheduled speed workouts and medium-long runs, so I had to improvise. Hopefully the changes I made were sufficient for me to meet my race goals.
The thing I’m happiest with: My hill work. I feel strong and aerobically ready to tackle the hills. My form on hills has improved, as have my paces.
The food and drinks: Despite my posts about the world’s biggest brownie, cake, cookies, cheetos and beer (oh, and let’s not forget the delicious sprinkle covered long john), I had a good 13 weeks of eating and (not) drinking (particularly when you consider my training was over the holiday season!). It’s just not that exciting to do a blog entry on how I drank lots of water, took my vitamins, ate my oatmeal, ate lots of carrots, etc. With the exception of New Years Eve and my friend’s 40th birthday 5 weeks ago, I limited myself to just a drink or two at a time. (And on those two times I did drink more than a few, I hydrated with lots of water and wasn’t CRAZY!)
The goals: I feel like I am in shape for sub 3:40 and that I can do it, even with the Little Rock hills. But, as always, my other goal is to have fun and finish strong.
The details, for you number geeks:
- 588.5 miles of running in 13 weeks
- Highest mileage week was 61.6 miles
- Lots of pilates, weights and biking
- Long Runs: 1 – 21 miler; 2 – 20 milers; 1- 17 miler; 2 – 16 milers; 2 – 15 milers
- Marathon pace runs: 8 miles, 10 miles; 7 miles
- Tempo runs: pace typically 7:45 – 8:00 (some were hilly)
- Intervals: paces between 6:55 – 7:25 (some were hilly)
- Hill workouts: at least one “workout” a week on the TM or repeats, plus typically at least one (or more) of the weekly runs were on hilly routes (including all of my long runs)
- Races: World’s Shortest Half Marathon, at 7:59 pace
Bring on Little Rock!
Runnin' From The Law 
You are ready! All that hill work is going to come in handy. I used Pfitz’s plan for my last marathon and PR’d (I modified it a lot too – got a little burned out and never made it to 55 miles).
Have you started stalking the 10-day forecast to see what the weather is going to be like 😉
Of course I’ve been checking the weather. Daily! It keeps changing, and depends on where I look. But right now it looks PERFECT, with start temp of low 40’s and finish mid-high 50’s, with partly cloudy. Then warming up a bit for post race fun! But I know it’s too early to rely on that. It’s showing rain on Saturday, hoping that moves through before or after the marathon.
But today it shows rain and T-storms Sat, Sun and Mon! I’m not going to look again until Friday, when I need to pack!
Nice! I look forward to seeing how it pans out for you!
So excited for you!
I’m curious to see how you feel the shorter training cycle pans out for you. I definitely feel like I need to do something shorter the next time I prep for a marathon. You’ve done awesome work — especially with the depths of winter through most of it! Kick butt next weekend!
Lora – I did the shorter training cycle (12 weeks, same thing Pfitz 12/55) for Twin Cities 2010 and it worked out well for me. I think the longer ones make me peak too early, get burnt out, and/or stress (too long to focus on 1 race, then I put too much pressure/stress on it).