Training Update: Winter Maintenance Mode

Well, folks, winter has really settled in here in the Buffalo area, so I have adjusted my running program accordingly. I have been training very steadily (at least 20 miles per week) since September or so, with improvements in race times throughout the autumn and early winter. Even in January and part of February, I've managed to run 5 or 6 days per week, getting close to or greater than 25 miles per week at times. I've also done some tempo runs and fartleks, although no track work at all.

(Photo of Mark as an impressive looking surfer dude at the beach, August 2007)

With the cold, snow and ice, I have decided to enter a "winter maintenance mode" for the next 2 to 3 weeks, until the weather breaks a bit. This will entail only 4 workouts per week (5 maximum), in which the workout will consist of about 3o minutes of either running or cross skiing, depending on snow conditions. This week I rested Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday, which was a very nice break for the legs, then ran twice (4 miles each) and cross country skiid twice (30 minutes each). Skiing is a great cross training, little to no pounding, and a good overall aerobic and strength workout, including the arms and upper body. I will try to do weights on my days off of running.

Although I don't expect continued improvement during this maintenance period, I do not expect to lose any conditioning, and should be primed to increase the mileage and intensity in early to mid-March. In addition, I think the relative rest from pounding the pavement will be good for me. In the spring and summer, I tend to do more of my workouts on grass and trails, thus avoiding the battering of the old joints.

Since Eric stated his early spring goals, I'll go out on a limb, and say that I want to run a mile in the latter half of March faster than my last mile of 2007, which was 5:43 in December. If I can make that my first mile of 2007, that will encourage me to continue on the sub-5-minute mile quest. We'll see.................43 seconds is a long time.............

Mark