Break time’s over (almost)
No pictures to post of the day’s training or scenery, etc. I did go for a pretty long swim (for me) though, of 1,650 yards. Cross training is definitely a bigger part of my regimen than it used to be, as I’ve changed my focus from marathons to shorter events. The key is making sure I put quality time in on the XT days. Cross training is still just that - training.
I’ve actually been in a break from event-specific training the last few weeks, but that all changes next week, when I start the buildup to the USATF Club Cross Country Nationals in December 14 at Lehigh University. For my age group the distance is 10k and the course will be the same one I ran as a younger and much faster college runner, more than three decades ago, in the NCAA East Regionals. Along the way to Lehigh, I’ll also do the half marathon at Richmond in November, plus a few other tuneup races. Schedule right now looks like this:
- 10/12: Glory Days XC 5k, Centreville VA (C race, get fitness benchmark)
- 11/15: Richmond Half Marathon (B race, long fast finish run)
- 11/24: Vienna Turkey Trot 10k (B race, pacing tuneup)
- 11/28: Fairfax Turkey Trot 4-Miler (C race/tempo run)
- 12/14: USATF Club XC Nationals, Bethlehem, PA
I may add others, especially maybe one more XC/trail event. Glory Days is a race I’ll already be at anyway, coaching my HS team in the meet that follows the open race. Richmond will be a good test of strength. I don’t expect to run what I could do in my marathoner days of a couple years ago (PR 1:29:03) but if I can do a 1:35 that day I will know I am on track. The Vienna Turkey Trot is a race I do every year, and it’s the same distance as my target race, so why not? It’s the perfect opportunity to practice pacing, even though it’s a road rather than XC race. The other Turkey Trot is one in my neighborhood which I will just do mostly as a fun run, with some tempo in there to get some work in.
It’s not a super-complicated schedule but it will do. Simple maybe is even good. Training cycle starts Monday!
