Tweaks

• As February begins to wind down, I have been considering my next steps, as per my original post from last month.  To review, the plan has been:
• Base habits:  70 miles a week
• Base habits:  2 hard workouts a week including
  • Tempo or progression run
  • Interval work - ideally not on the track but timed intervals
    • Both of these ought to be outdoors, but if necessary, I will mill it
• Base habits:  Long run - 2 hours building - not worried about speed in this long run.  Most of these runs will be road runs (mileage and time) versus trail (time).
• Base habits:  Core 2-3x a week
• Base habits:  hill sprints / strides 2x a week
• Not a heavy focus on hill climbing but would be good to get to a hill periodically
• Race - 5k/10k type stuff
• Training primarily in singles
• If the "spirit moves me" roll with good days
• POSSIBLE RACES:  Best Cross, Frozen Foot 5K
• My goal was listed as:  Build good habits, focus on road running and getting some "base" speed back, enjoying the ride, not burning out, not getting hurt, building a good base for spring spring-boarding.So on whole, I think I have been on the mark.  My core work has been a bit lighter than I would have liked it, but I think I have been on mark for most of the objectives.  I would like to have raced more than I did (once), but that is a choice I made with life. 
• So my next steps were targeted to be:
• Long runs of 2-3 hours - not worried about speed in this long run.  As weather allows, more of these runs in (and to) the mountains.
• 10 hours a week / 75-90 miles
• Base habits:  2 hard workouts a week including
  • Tempo or progression run
  • Interval work - ideally not on the track but timed intervals
    • Both of these ought to be outdoors, but if necessary, I will mill it
    • Mix flats and hills, but focus on these workouts at the flats is better / okay now
• Base habits:  Core 2-3x a week
• Base habits:  hill sprints / strides 2x a week
• Race - 5k/10k type stuff
• Training primarily in singles, but okay to introduce some doubles
• If the "spirit moves me" roll with good days
• Mentally - keep it easy.
• So - not much different.  My goal was listed here as:  Begin transition into formal training.  Translate base work into mountain and climbing work.  Maintain base habit but shift thinking into formal prep.  Really, I see this as a set of tweaks to my training ... a little longer on the long runs, a few more runs in the mountains, a few more doubles, adding up to a bit more miles. 
• I feel good.  I do think my fitness has been progressing over the last two, three months.   I have been keeping up the base habits pretty well, and without significant strain and I have been enjoying myself.  That said, within any week, there are days where I go easy, light on miles, and back it off a touch.  I feel, perhaps out of some pseudo-logical obligation, to do the same thing in a week regard as well here.  Tentatively, I am expecting to do that this week (and maybe even starting this weekend if we go skiing).  More to come...