April 12th Preview

Last stop this week before you reach double-figure mileage. Sunday's distance is nine miles, from the Eugene Running Company with an 8:00 start. Marathoners will go 10 miles that day.

Your route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn right onto bike path, to Valley River footbridge and across. Turn left, past Ferry Street by about a half-mile. Turn around at EWEB bike path exit and come back the same way: Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 9.05 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at about four and five miles (Ferry Street). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with little chance of rain.

WEEK 5 LESSON: YOUR PACE

Question: How fast should my long runs be?

Answer: Let your pace find itself. Don’t try to force an arbitrary pace (such as a half-marathon time goal) onto these runs. Instead, run comfortably, letting whatever happens with your pace happen. Finish with the feeling that you could have gone a little longer that day, which you will soon enough. Our more experienced runners might want to train for speed during the week. I recommend that this come between Tuesday and Thursday (when organized fast-training groups, independent of ours, are available) to give enough recovery from the last long run and before the next one. If you run a shorter-distance race during this training period, make it easy. A full effort there would conflict with your weekend long run, which is far more important during this training cycle.