Taking the Next Big Step - Or Setting up the Plan to

    Okay, so I've got 5 half marathons under my belt with on awesome PR of a sub 2 hour finish, I've got a lot of 5ks, 10ks, and a few 15ks with PRs too. I know I started a topic a while back about my interest in going straight to 50ks, just passing a 26.2 miler but......... I don't know - it just doesn't quite feel right to me or something like that. Flipping through the January's RW mag I saw the list of FMs and saw the Indy Monumental Marathon on there slated for November 1, 2014 - and that is when it struck me. I want that to be my next step towards my long term goal, heck I don't have a 50k planned or desired until 2015 and I am pretty pleased with the PRs I've earned this year so I won't be racing any half marathons (though you will see the ones I've already registered for in my new training plan) so I won't really have to take so many days to recover. I do still want to run the Evansville Half Marathon in early October, I don't think that will hurt as I believe you have to start tapering 3 weeks before a full marathon. And of course this plan is flexible for changes, flexibility is the best thing you can have with training plans. And my main half marathon goal is in June, not for speed but elevation (around 3,500 - 4,000 feet) which is what I have begun training for from December (now) to June 15 (the race) and then after the much needed days of recovery I will begin my more focused training for the IMFM which will focus more runs back on the road in preparation for the pounding.

Only thing is, when to start my taper for the IMFM - the weekend before the Evansville Half which I am guessing is on either October 4 or 5.......... they probably won't post the date until next summer.... or that weekend of the Evansville Half? Everything is subject to change of course, I mean you never know what the day brings (especially with a child) and I don't know how the increased mileage will affect me and if I am really built for races and distances like that, this plan is definitely flexible and subject to change accordingly.

Anyways take a look at the "plan" I quickly put together and tell me what you think.

http://www.runningahead.com/logs/6d1d5cb5e27e4230a9d79029229a9ba6/plans/1fb03f1da2764bffb75f162b2108c

A Tough, Miserable 4.1 Miles on the Road

  After yesterday morning's really tough run, I decided to give my legs a break and run on the roads with hopes that it would be somewhat easier. I got up at 4:45 a.m, planning for 6 miles with Rocky - I couldn't even make it out of the driveway without busting my butt 3 times,  our driveway is around .10-.15 miles long  with a hill at the top to the house and it was all ice. That put me in a bit of a mood, and Rocky wasn't helping with his moronic behavior when on a leash which normally isn't bad at all when there isn't any ice or snow........ but my patience was pretty thin this morning. 
   Not only were we slipping on the roads, and trying to find our footing but my legs were sore from yesterday's run and I was pretty much cursing the weather during the whole run which ended up being only 4.1 miles due to my soreness and figuring it would probably be best not to try and push my legs to 6 miles this morning. I'll try for 2 miles tomorrow though I am not sure if I want to deal with Rocky, I might give him a couple of days off just so I can focus on my legs and not fight with him on leash.
    We ran the 4.1 miles in 46:53 with an average pace of 11:26 min/mile, a little faster than yesterday morning's run but still sore.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 12:29
Mile 2 - 11:38
Mile 3 - 10:54
Mile 4 - 10:49
.1      - 10:20

     I am honestly hoping and praying for temperatures warm enough to start melting this crap. I am starting to wish that I hadn't sworn to a Holiday Streak, I want a break so bad right now.... my legs are that sore. 

One Hellish, Snowy, Tough Run this Morning

   I knew last night that our run this morning would be tough, I expected 3-5 inches of snow on the trails and for it to be a lot like running on sand. I also figured there wouldn't be anybody else on the trails so I didn't get up and out the door until 7 a.m. Rocky was excited, this was awesome weather to him and I was pretty excited too - this would be my first time ever running in snow. We got to the trail head about 20-30 minutes after leaving the house, and we started off....... within a minute I realized I had underestimated the impact that snow would have on my run. I soon had to admit that I was going to get my butt kicked by 4-6 inches of snow and the ungodly uneven footing that other hikers/runner/deer/dogs/etc had caused on the trails. If I wasn't slushing through snow, my feet were landing in all kinds of directions and my ankles were being bent in awful ways. My calves were screaming mutiny by mile 1 and I was seriously contemplating just 2 miles and being done with it. I had planned for 11 but I just couldn't see that happening, and I was really freaking angry about it. I was already hiking some, and then trying to run if that is what you would call it. By mile 2 I decided I would finish with 4 miles and be done with it, but by the time I was getting ready to reach mile 4 I thought to myself how upset and disappointed I would be if I ended up with 4 miles today so I decided on 5. At this point another runner passed me, he didn't look to be enjoying it an awful lot. Rocky was having a blast, he was really enjoying the snow.
    By the time I had reached 4.5 miles I decided 5 miles wasn't going to be enough and pushed on for 6 miles figuring at least with 6 I might be able to handle it. I ended the run with 7.1 miles and my legs at this point were crying, my quads were screaming for a merciful death and my empty stomach was begging for food. Had it not been for my stomach I probably would have pushed for 8 miles.
    Rocky and I ran/hiked 7.1 miles in 1:29:34 with an average pace of 12:37 min/mile (the SLOWEST I have ever ran I think). Elevation gain of 130 feet and a loss of 125 feet. Temperature was 25 degrees with a feels like 15, the temperature didn't bother me - it never does when there is snow on the ground.
   Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 14:08 
Mile 2 - 14:04
Mile 3 - 13:41
Mile 4 - 12:25
Mile 5 - 11:39
Mile 6 - 11:22
Mile 7 - 11:13
.1      - 10:14

    A butt kicker for sure.... and I honestly don't know what or where I will be running tomorrow, I don't really want to have to endure that again for 5-6 miles.
   Some pics from this morning's run.

A Cold, Icy Trail Run this Morning with Rocky

   This morning I was determined to get up before 5, heck I got up before my alarm clock went off at 4:40 this morning. I was a little nervous as the forecast said freezing rain, but getting out on the road wasn't bad and getting to the trail head wasn't hard either. I was dressed pretty warm but not too warm, and Rocky was just loving the weather. Not soon after starting on the trail I realized I didn't need my headlamp - the accumulation of ice was so much that it lit up the trails and the woods around me just like snow. It was so peaceful and surreal, and even though I was going a bit slower than normal I could definitely feel the effort it was taking to run through and on this stuff.    We only ran 6.1 miles which is pretty much all we had time to do, finishing at 1:08:26 with an average pace of 11:13 min/mile and an elevation gain of 76 feet and a loss of 68 feet. The temperature was 27 degrees with a feels like 18 degrees and pelting freezing rain. It was a great run none the less -
Laps/Splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:30
Mile 2 - 11:37
Mile 3 - 11:06
Mile 4 - 11:16
Mile 5 - 11:08
Mile 6 - 10:51
.1       -  9:38 

     Tomorrow I've only got the 1 mile run which will be ran out on these roads, but I am really hoping and praying that I can get my Tahoe out of it's mess before Sunday so Rocky and I can run the trails for our 11-12 mile long run.

Our 7 Mile Run on the Trails Last Night - and My 1 (11 min) Run this Morning

   I wasn't able to get up yesterday morning in time for our 7 mile run, lack of sleep and the bed feeling too freaking good. So I had my mom watch Dorian later in the afternoon, Rocky and I ran the trails at night and nobody was out there. It was extremely peaceful and warm, 68 degrees which had me wearing my shorts and sports bra and I was still pretty warm. I could have sworn that we were going at a pretty good pace - but everytime I looked at my garmin we were right around 11 minutes if not near 12 min/mile pace.
   I did something just before mile 6 that some or a lot would probably consider really stupid, dangerous or just plain crazy. I was feeling so great, so good and with nobody else on the trails I decided on a whim that I was going to run completely nude for a minute or something. And I did....... less than a minute but still - it was liberating, a little vulnerable but fun too...... until as I finished putting my clothes back on just before the trailhead leading to the levee - Rocky perked up and aimed his attention to the levee so I nervously looked and saw a shadow running on top of the levee - another runner was out there but apparently had stayed on the levee and didn't appear to have seen me or my nakedness.... I hope :( suffice to say I won't be doing that ever again.
   Rocky and I ran the 7 miles in 1:17:09 with an average pace of 11:01 min/mile so a bit slower than  I felt, but it felt great out there. An elevation gain of 116 feet and a loss of 103 feet, 68 degrees with humidity at 64%.
Splits/Laps were:
Mile 1 - 11:18
Mile 2 - 10:41
Mile 3 - 10:41
Mile 4 - 11:06
Mile 5 - 11:02
Mile 6 - 11:50 
Mile 7 - 10:29

    Right as lap 7 ended and lap 8 began (before I stopped it) the pace said 5:58, god I wish I had kept pushing it just to see how long I could have kept a pace like that up.

    This morning, I wasn't able to get up to run as Dorian was having a really rough morning and I thought Cameron was going to be getting up really early to head to Chicago for a machine. So I ended up running around our shipping tables at the shop for 11 minutes, so I assume it was a mile.

Yesterday's Run, This morning's Run

  Okay so I didn't post yesterday's run, unfortunately Rocky and I only had enough time for less than 5 miles so we took it. Got to the trails at 6:20 a.m because I couldn't get my butt up earlier enough. It was a little chilly at first but 34 degrees didn't feel so bad after a bit, especially after the past few days of freaking low 20 degree weather. 
  We ran 4.3 miles in 42:55 with an average pace of 9:59 min/mile and an elevation gain of 62 feet and loss of 55 feet. Not bad, and I felt pretty good...... no scary animal either.
Laps/splits were: 
Mile 1 - 10:46
Mile 2 - 9:55
Mile 3 - 9:42
Mile 4 - 9:49
.3      - 9:00

   A bit faster than I really wanted, but not bad so that is alright.
This morning was one of our Holiday Streaking runs so it was only 1.4 miles, I had set my alarm for 6:20 since it wouldn't take long to run and we do these runs on the roads by the house. It was 45 degrees so a bit warmer than Monday morning's run but for some reason I had chose to wear a bit warmer shirt. Anyways, we ran 1.4 miles in 15:10 with an average pace of 10:49 min/mile so it was definitely around the pace I wanted - nice and easy and no elevation change.
Laps/splits were:
Mile 1 - 11:04
.4      - 10:13

Our 11 Miler on the Trails

   Still feeling sore from Thursday's race, I am hoping it will subside soon as I would hate to have to cancel the Holiday Streak. I got up just before 6 this morning, got dressed in a bit less clothing than the last week or so - it was only 43 degrees this time and I still ended up getting too warm. Rocky and I got to the trails at 6:30 and we were off, I was definitely feeling sore - the calves were the culprits and I know that has a lot to do with the race Thursday as they were frozen and I had to push so hard to keep them going. I had forgotten to eat a little something and so my stomach was seriously empty, and it did affect my run - I probably stopped once during every mile/lap. 
    Within the first 5 minutes of starting, we spooked 5 or 6 deer who took off into a thick brush area and in turn spooked what I am hoping was a Bobcat and not a Mountain Lion passing through our state. Rocky and I stood there for 3 minutes using our ears and eyesight trying to pinpoint where this angry predator was, only to finally set off on our run in hopes that we didn't run into it. The rest of the run went relatively well, short of being hungry and sore - right around 10 miles we ran into a loose dog, a boxer/husky mix who ended up being friendly but didn't feel like running with us.
    We ran the 11 miles in 1:55:27 with an average pace of 10:29 min/mile, elevation gain of 155 feet and a loss of 153 feet.
Laps/Splits were:
Mile 1 - 10:52
Mile 2 - 10:28
Mile 3 - 10:46
Mile 4 - 10:39
Mile 5 - 10:17
Mile 6 - 10:23
Mile 7 - 10:23
Mile 8 - 10:20
Mile 9 - 10:53
Mile 10 - 10:18
Mile 11 - 10:05

    So not a bad run, I actually felt slower than I was apparenlty going so that is a good thing. I had originally planned to run 8 miles up at Hoosier National Forest, to get a taste of the hills and elevation changes I will be expecting on June 14 but I don't think I will start training there until after January 25th's race, we'll just have to see though.