8K training – And now for a change of pace

Yesterday I ran 2 miles. This was my first run since taking 15 days off after the half-marathon. I played a number of ultimate frisbee and softball games over those two weeks but I didn’t do any actual running. This time off was to give myself time to recover both physically (my legs were sore for 3-4 days after the race) and emotionally. But now it has been two weeks and I’m ready to get back out there.

I’ve decided that a good intermin goal for me (before my next half-marathon) would be to do an 8K race. I’m targetting the Torchlight Run on July 29. I used the Runner’s World Smart Coach to generate a custom training program. I’ve put the actual program in this post’s extended text.

This program is a little different in that it (1) specifies target paces, (2) includes sprint training and (3) includes tempo runs. It will be interesting to see how I handle (2) and (3) but they’re in there to help me get faster. I’d like to do the 8K in less than 45 minutes (9 min/mile). I think that’s a totally realistic goal.