Half marathon training – Week 13 – Last chance training

24/09	5.0 miles	Easy run: avg 10:10 min/mile
25/09	3.2 miles	Easy run: avg 9:39 min/mile
26/09	7.0 miles	Tempo run: 5 miles @ 8:50/8:31/8:27/8:33/8:37 min
27/09	XT	30 min elliptical & light weights
28/09	-	Rest day
29/09	12.0 miles	Long run: avg 9:46 min/mile
30/09	3.3 miles	Recovery run: avg 9:40 min/mile
Total	30.5 miles	YTD: 842.2 miles

This week was my last chance to get some solid training in before the upcoming taper. I logged a solid 12 mile long run and my first 30+ mile training week since May. Race day is now one week away. All that’s left to do is to stay healthy (lots of piriformis muscle relaxation and don’t catch a cold or do something silly like sprain my ankle while walking down stairs), eat well, and log a few easy runs. I really need to pick a goal race pace too. Right now I’m torn between 9:09 min/mile = 5:41 min/km (a 1:59:55 PB half marathon) or something more aggressive like 8:46 min/mile = 5:27 min/km (a 1:55:00 half marathon). I’m going to have to think about that.

Next Sunday hasn’t quite come up on all the long range weather forecasts yet so I’ve decided to hold off on obsessive weather watching until Tuesday or Wednesday. I’m hoping it will be about 10C, cloudy and calm on race morning. That means racing in shorts, a long sleeved technical shirt and maybe a pair of throw away gloves. Of course rain and wind are very possible so I’ll have to be prepared for that. I’m going to be taking the sea plane to Victoria though which limits my total luggage to 25 lb so I’ll have to pack light. We’ll see how that goes!