Speadsheeeeeeeeeets
I love my spreadsheets and stats (as you may have heard me say already!) so from various training schedules, and based on a few target races I've devised my own training schedule. I've worked out a steady progression of my ability and adjusted the workouts to suit, most notably the speedwork...
Speedwork I'll always do in the same place - yes the scenery gets very 'samey' but I tend to spend so much time thinking about how hard it is and how i'm going to finish the rep alive that I don't worry much about Scenery. I tend to focus on running at various race paces... so i'll have 1500m paced sessions, 3000m paced sessions, 5k paced session, and 10k paced sessions Half marathon pace and longer will fall into other runs - i'm not sure it's fast enough to be classed as speedwork? (is it?!)
Tuesday's are club runs, I used to use these as a hard sessions and try and stick with the faster guys, but now I tend to just use it as a regular run just to help build an endurance base to work from. usually around 8miles the route is decided by the others at the club and seeing as I don't know the area that well it's either a new route every time, or it seems like a new route!
Wednesday's are easy runs, just to give me a gentle run out and allow the body to catch up with Monday's battering and any ill effects that may be left over from tuesdays effort, also in preparation for thursdays hard session. Mileage is set in my schedule and I tend to pick a route as close to that mileage as possible. It does mean I often cover similar roads and routes but I try to vary it a little
Thursdays lately have been club races, usually between 4 and 6 miles I get to use them as a decent tempo run or a 'less serious' race effort. I like to think it helps me deal with race scenario's such as having people sat on my shoulder, trying to break towards the end, and being able to pace well from the start etc... If there's no club race It's a repeat of Tuesday but I'll perhaps push a little harder.
Friday is rest day.
Saturday is long run day - I head over to my parents house and there's a whole host of routes I can take from there, so although the first and last mile or so is the same, the bulk of the run can be in new surroundings. Distances vary a fair bit.
Sunday is a recovery run, much like weds I pick a route around my local area based on the mileage I'm supposed to be doing
I can be pretty flexible with my training week, so if something comes up on a monday I'll just shift speedwork to another night or something. I had planned paces for each of my regular, long, and recovery runs but I'll only loosely stick to them and keep them at the back of my mind, I seem to average out pretty near to my goal pace anyhow.
Bloomin' eck I could talk forever about my training! how sad eh?
I'm trying to stick to the schedule as close as I can, although have amended the distance up slightly on the weekend LSR's as I came in to it a bit ahead of the starting point mileage so hopefully by doing that little bit extra on the long runs each week will hold me in good stead for the run itself.
Oh what have I done FLM09 
Aint no stopping me now I'm in the groove
