Lots and lots of Hard Work

I have never run so much in my entire life. This week I will be at least 110-115 miles. Perhaps I will run as high as 120 this summer. I am already at 60 miles for the past 4 days. This morning I ran 9.5 and the evening an additional 10. Most of these runs have been moderate, although last week I did some moderate workouts-although the mileage last week was less-only 70. I did some tempo runs such as 2 miles @ 5:10 pace, as well as doing a run starting at 6:00 pace working down to 5:20 pace for several miles. I also jumped in Riley's Rumble last Sunday for a nice workout, finishing in 1:25:00-starting out slow and running the "middle section faster," and finishing up relaxed. It was hot and very hilly-great workout. Yesterday I ran 16 in the morning starting at Old Anglers Inn and heading out on the Canal towards DC before looping back onto MacArthur. I was quite thirsty after the run which I made a note of. I gulped down some gatorade quickly. I ran an additional 5 miles in the evening.

I have picked out and registered for a Half Marathon In August, the perfect time for me to do one before the Marathon in October. It gives me a 7 week buffer which seems to have worked for me in the past. In 2009, I did a half marathon 7 weeks before the Frederick Marathon(which was my most recent best marathon race I've had-back then I ran a 1:16 half on a flat course and a 2:43 marathon on a hilly course). The half I am doing is the Parkersburg Half in WVA on August 21, and is a very competitive but small race. It is also a rolling hills course which I selected on purpose to get a great tough run in before the flat fast Chicago course. More about it later.