Kinda wild to believe that Eugene is just about four weeks out now–a month from Thursday, as a matter of fact–when it wasn’t *that* long ago that I ran Houston and was subsequently waffling in my decision about which training plan to use for sub-3:30 attempt #2.

My training has been going well, which is giving me an incredible confidence boost, and I feel like I’m making progress where I ought to be. The Pfitz plan has me topping out around 55 mpw, and this week closed out my peak week: with a 12 mile tempo run (with 7 at half marathon race pace… holy hell) and a 21 miler on hills on Saturday (wherein my buddy, Mort, and I did the last 5k descending from an 8:15 down to a 7:15 pace).

I hit about 56 miles this week, which is tied (I believe) with two weeks ago as being my highest-volume-week ever… not that I’m necessarily a numbers gal, but that’s pretty cool.

My sleeping almost 11 hours today (7 hours overnight plus two, two-hour naps) is probably indicative of the aforementioned “peak week” concluding 🙂

Though it’s still too early to say, since I have a good month of training left, so far I feel pretty happy with the Pfitz training plan. I’ve followed it pretty closely, with the exception of using the long run mileage from the up to 75 mpw plan instead (since I was coming right off Houston training, I already had the base). The speedwork is tough as nails–let’s call it “humbling,” ha–but I know it’s making me a stronger runner. Doing what Pfitz calls “medium long runs” between 10-12 miles during the week, in addition to the weekend’s long run, has also taken some getting used to–those “medium” runs necessitate a 4:45am wake-up–but like the speedwork, I know they’re making me stronger and helping my endurance.

…at least, this is what I’m telling myself.

Anyway, as Eugene inches its way nearer and nearer every day on my calendar and training program, I’ve been thinking about my goals there with more intentionality and focus. It’s no secret that I want to shoot for (sub) 3:30, but I haven’t really decided on a time yet… and I’m thinking I probably won’t for a few more weeks still.

What has thrown me for a loop, in this regard, is that Eugene has pacers at 3:25 and at 3:35, but nothing at 3:30, which is where I was planning to set myself up for most of the race (barring catastrophe). I’ve had mixed experiences with pacers, as have many of my running friends whose expertise and experience I trust, so while I would be absolutely *floored* to run a 3:25 this spring, blindly entrusting my running–and a 3:25 might be a stretch for me right now–to a stranger just makes me downright nervous.

We’ll see.

It’s not a decision I need to make right now; if nothing else, it’s just something else to think about as part of my racing strategy.

In the week to come, I’ll be heading back out to the Morton Arboretum where I ran my hilly 21-miler, but this time, “only” 17, and with my friend, David. Coincidentally, I met both Mort and David when we were all training for Boston ’09. Two weekends from now I’ll have my final 20 on Saturday and then an 8k, the Shamrock Shuffle, on Sunday, so like with my Eugene goals, I’ve gotta figure out how I want to swing a 20 mile training run the day before an 8k that I want to race.

Decisions, decisions…

Otherwise, all is well. Fortunately, the appetite that seemed to have disappeared for a couple weeks came back–and with a vengeance–in the past week, and I think the ancillary RYBQ/StrengthRunning bodyweight strength and core stuff has also been improving my game since I have now graduated to being able to do 3 sets of the Standard Core, at :60/exercise, without dying (hooray!).

I guess no news is good news on the blog front; things seem to be clicking, and I’m going right along.

I’ll leave you with an image and a video that C was finally able to capture of A today. I’ve been leaving my foam roller out with her toys, so I remember to use it, and of course, that means that it has become fair game for her to play with, on, under, over, [insert preposition here].

Suffice it to say that for an almost-two year-old, her IT bands, quads, hamstrings, and glutes have got to be in incredible shape.

What say you? Have you figured out your goals for your target spring race(s)? How’s your training?