Making Progress - 14 weeks out to Austin

One important piece of news (besides Barack's big victory) is that I am signed up for Austin.

Recapping last week's workouts, I ran 60 of the Pfitz planned 62 miles for week #4 out of 18. I cut out a measley two recovery miles to try to save legs. Despite the shortcut, I am considering my 97% coverage pretty damn good for the week.

I basically ran everything exactly as planned. I don't take 60-mile weeks for granted. I don't have too many of them under my belt. The ones I do this year are because I pushed a long run into Monday. I don't consider those "legit". Chasing a 55-mile week, this week's 60 is legit.

So the saying goes, no rest for the weary runners who are chasing a sub-3 marathon. I kicked off this week's 65-mile quest with a 9-mile run on the treadmill tonight, during which I celebrated 4 of the 9 with a threshold run at 6:27 pace. Tick the box for that workout.

You'd think it'd be easy for me to knock out the schedule given recent progress. But of course we are set to leave on yet another family visit to St. George, UT on early Wed AM. When you travel and have change in your life, it forces adjustments.

So, I need to nail 42 miles in Utah during a 4-day visit. I admit it may be viewed by some as borderline selfish to schedule six hours of running during this 4-day visit to my parents' home. But they're laid back. And as my wife said about my running during her sister's visit, "it's what Ryan does". I try to minimize the impact by going early and scheduling around key events.

With current planned mileage, I am targeting a 264-mile November. Two freaking sixty-four. Mercy. I don't need to look at any prior running logs. Never before have I had that kind of output.

I am relaxed. I am focused. I am maintaining all other important aspects of my life while hitting these miles. Work is going well. We are happy in our home and our daugter is a joy. I am on track for sub-3 on 2/15/09.