March 26th Preview

You advance to seven miles this week, running the first 4.5 with our marathoners who are continuing to nine. It’s the usual eight o’clock start from the Eugene Running Company.

The route: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don’t cross. Turn left onto bike path, to Autzen footbridge and across. Turn right, to Valley River footbridge and across. Back to Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.95 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at Skinner Butte playground (3.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with rain likely.

WEEK THREE LESSON: YOUR WEEK

Question: What should I do during the week, between long runs?

Answer: On weekdays “rest” and “easy” are the key words. The biggest mistake half-marathon trainers make is trying to increase all their running. The longer you go on Sundays, the less you can or should do the other days. My recommended easy run is one lasting 30 to 60 minutes (usually closer to the half-hour than the hour) at a relaxed pace, totaling no more than two hours of running between Sundays. Training by minutes instead of miles encourages you to run easily, because you can’t rush time the way you might do with distance. I also urge you to take a day or two off (easy cross-training is okay those days) after the long run and one rest day before the next one.