November 13th Preview

For the first time since September, you come DOWN in distance this Sunday – to about six miles. This includes most of the first five of the EWEB route.

Our route (starting at 8:00 from the Eugene Running Company): Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and across. Turn onto bike path, toward EWEB, to Autzen footbridge and across. Turn east, to I-5, then left on path that parallels freeway. Turn left onto canal path to ponds. Turn left onto road, past Autzen Stadium, to Alton Baker park, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.20 miles/10 kilometers.

Bring a drink for possible delivery at EWEB (about 1.5 miles) and dog park (about 4.7). Car access to this route is limited, so I won’t be able to catch everyone at both spots. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with rain possible.

WEEK 9 LESSON: YOUR TAPER

Question: How much should I run the last week before the race?

Answer: Run as little as your conscience will allow. It’s too late now, with the half-marathon just days away, to do anything that will make the race go better. But it’s never too late to make a mistake – most commonly running too far or too fast – that will come back to bite you on race day. Take at least as many rest days as you would before a weekly training run. Take nothing longer than you would on a normal week’s easy run, and ideally shorter. You won’t forget how to run this week, and you’ll race better the more rested you are.