6.5 weeks to Philadelphia

I don't know why I've put off picking a training plan.  It's really not going to make or break the next 7 weeks; this year I have made progress in my half marathon times using different training plans.  I think I need to remind myself that.

I've been looking at:

• Hal Higdon's advanced half marathon plan 
• used for April & May half marathons
• some long runs were to be run with last quarter at race pace
• The plan from Women's Running magazine
• used for September's Rock n Roll half marathon
• long runs had mid-run mileage at race pace
• The FIRST half marathon training program (Run Less Run Faster)
• I read the book this summer
• similar to the Women's Running plan
• long runs should be run slightly slower than race pace

Some differences--
FIRST + Womens Running: 3 runs/week, longest run 15 miles
Hal Higdon Intermediate/Advanced: 5-6 runs/week, longest run 2 hours

I think since I just renewed my gym membership, I'm inclined to go with a plan with fewer runs/week so I can also utilize spin + boot camp classes for cross training. 

Since I took 2 weeks off of real training (but upped the cross training) I am hesitant to throw in a 15 mile run in only a few weeks, as the fewer-runs-per-week plans call for.


I'm thinking I'll give the FIRST plan a shot, but cut back a little on the longest run.

	Monday	Tuesday	Wednes	Thurs	Friday	Saturday	Sunday	miles run
9/26-10/2	boot  camp	spin	rest	spin  +abs	rest	3 mi PRO	6 mi hike
10/3-10/9	boot  camp	spin	3 mi	spin  +abs	6 E	rest	10 HMP+20	19
10/10-10/16	boot  camp	rest	3x[1600,  400R]	spin  +abs	5@ MT	rest	13 HMP+30	23
10/17-10/23	boot  camp	spin	10x[400,  400R]	spin  +abs	5@ MT	rest	10 HMP+20	22
10/24-10/30	boot  camp	rest  or easy	3x[2000,  400R]	rest  or easy	2x[1E,2MT],  1 E	rest	14 HMP+30	27
10/31-11/6	boot  camp	spin	2x[3200,  400R]	spin  +abs	5@  MT	rest	12 HMP+20	21
11/7-11/13	boot  camp	spin	5x[1k,   400R]	spin  +abs	2E,  3@ ST, 1E	rest	8 HMP+20	20
11/14-11/20	boot  camp	spin	6x[400,   400R]	rest	3 E	rest	The Half	8+13.1

All speedwork (Wednesdays) calls for 10-20 min warm up + 10 min cool down.
R= recovery
MT = midtempo
E = easy
HMP + xx = half marathon pace + (seconds)



I was thinking more about pace too.

I was slightly bummed that I wasn't faster at my half in September.  But, if you recall my 28:07 5k in August... according to Run Less Run Faster, a 28:05 5k predicts a 10:06 pace for a half marathon (2:12:24).  And I ran a 2:12:01 half marathon 5.5 weeks later.  So, really... I performed on par or marginally better than  predicted by my 5k.

The FIRST plan suggests you run at paces based on your current fitness level, not based on a goal time.  So my paces will be based on my 2:12:01 half from 2ish weeks ago.