Heartland Training week 7

This blog is for my friends and family that often ask me how a guy trains to run 100 miles.

I will blog every week for the next couple months telling about my training and thoughts leading up to the Heartland 100 and after. Hopefully with some good training and some luck I can finish my 2nd 100 this year. I really enjoy the challenges of trying to run 100 and look forward to pushing my body and mind to extremes. So far I had not thought about the Heartland 100 much, I kept thinking I had plenty of time to train, and then all the sudden I look at the calender and it's 7 weeks away. I have had a good base of 60-70 miles a week, but have been lacking the back to back's that worked successfully for me at Rocky Raccoon. I still don't know what I'm doing, so far I have just winged it and did what I felt right at the time. I am not sure what others do to train for 100's but, I think the training is similar, although different things work for different people. Running 100 miles in a day is a huge challenge I don't care if you run, walk, skip, jump or slog your way to 100 miles 100 is still 100 miles, and finishing is a feeling like no other. A couple years ago I would of never imagined I would run 10 miles let alone 100. There is something about the 100 that really intrigues me and gets my blood pumping, I can hardly wait for Heartland and look forward to the challenges that lay ahead. Over the next couple months you can follow my progress and read my thoughts leading up to the Heartland 100.

So now for week 7 training.

Monday 8-24-09 16 miles county road run. Was a little warm today and I was still tired from Leadville the past weekend. Was defiantly not my best run and seemed extremely slow.

16 miles in 2:35 min. with a lot of walking at the end.

Tuesday 8-25-09 8.5 mile county road loop. Still not my best run and was hot and humid today. 8.5 miles in 1:04 min.

Wednesday 8-26-09 10 mile county road loop. Better run today took out a little slower but kept a steady pace for the whole 10 miles.
10 miles in 1:18min.

Thursday 8-27-09 13 mile county road loop. Felt really good today, was a lot cooler and the run was really enjoyable. Getting excited for the planned weekend long runs.
13 miles in 1:35 min.

Friday 8-28-09 Was the wife's birthday today so took the wife to dinner and took a needed rest day.

Saturday 8-29-09 28.5 county road loop. From home to Turkey Point to Eisenhower St. Park to home. Was a beautiful day and I ran extremely well, I ran an 8:15-8:30 pace most the way and was running even faster at the end around 7:30-8:00. Finished the 28.5 in 3:52min an 8:08 pace. Not to shabby for a training run. Felt good to have such a good run.

Sunday 8-30-09 17.25 county road loop. Took it a little easier today, the legs were a little shot from Saturday and the week. Still managed a good run. Fell really good about this week training. 17.25 miles in 2:27min.

93.25 miles this week, with 800 push-ups and 250 P90x single leg squats and lunges.
Just now starting to think about Heartland and the task at hand. I'm not sure how it snuck up on me so fast. Would of liked to have started ramping up several weeks ago. I think I'll still be O.K. since I have had a good base all summer, but you never know what's going to happen during a 100, so it's still a little nerve racking. My plan for Heartland is to run as many miles as possible and finish sub-24 at least. In my first 100 I walked the last 20+ as my legs and feet just wouldn't take it any more. My plan this time is to run more miles in training and hopefully it will increase my endurance and pay off in being able to run more at the end of Heartland.
More next week.