I know I just wrote about how I love how simple running is. I still find myself trying to complicate it as much as possible. Hence my training log and accompanying graph:

Week	Mileage	Projected Goal	Week ending
27	12.5	20	20-Mar
26	24	20	27-Mar
25	4	22	3-Apr
24	4.5	24	10-Apr
23	24.5	26	17-Apr
22	25.5	28	24-Apr
21	30	30	1-May
20	32	32	8-May
19	35.5	35	15-May
18	41.5	39	22-May
17	43	43	29-May
16		47	5-Jun
15		52	12-Jun
14		57	19-Jun
13		62	26-Jun
12		68	3-Jul
11		74	10-Jul
10		80	17-Jul
9		88	24-Jul
8		95	31-Jul
7		100	7-Aug
6		100	14-Aug
5		100	21-Aug
4		70	28-Aug
3		60	4-Sep
2		50	11-Sep
1		40	18-Sep
0		20	25-Sep
Total	277	1482

And, here's all those numbers in a graph.

I've always thought that to run a fast hundred-miler you need to have a few weeks where all your runs add up to 100 miles. So, I have some scheduled in August. We'll see how I'm feeling, my weekly milage might peak significantly below that.

Mon: 7.5 (Squaw Peak) + 1.5

Tues: 4

Wed: 8.5

Thurs: 6.5 (Top of Y mountain)

Fri: 7

Sat: 8

My favorite run of the year, so far was Thursday's trudge up Y Mountain. Got up to the top in 1:15 from the parking lot. Ran down in the dark making shin-deep post holes in the snow without socks, water, or a flashlight. Awesome.

WEEKLY TOTALS

43 miles; 9,250'

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A few summers ago I got really interested in backpacking. It's the simplest way of life to me. You put everything you need in a bag, put that bag on your back and walk down a path. When the path ends, you're done.

Part of the enjoyment, for me, of backpacking is simplifying what you carry. I get a kick out of leaving everything but the absolute essentials at home. My pack weighed about 8 lbs for my 430-mile section hike of the PCT.

Each day that you're on the trail, your objective is clear and simple: stay on the path, moving in the right direction. As long as your not getting lost or going the wrong direction, you'll eventually make it to the end of the path: your goal.

Simplicity is what attracts me to backpacking as well as running trails. I've recently graduated and am starting a new phase in life. I hope to keep my objectives as clear and simple in life as they are while on the trails.

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I felt pretty strong this week, except for the last couple miles of my long run. I ran out of energy after about 2 hours. It's exciting to be in good enough shape to run enough that I need to eat to avoid bonking. I haven't had to consume any calories (or water, really) on any run since last fall.

Mon: 9

Tues: 8

Wed: 5

Thurs: 3.25

Fri: 12.5

Sat: 3.75

WEEKLY TOTALS

41.5 miles; 4500'

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I'm steadily running a little more each week. And, my body's handling it fine so far. Sticking to the 10% weekly increase in mileage rule of thumb takes patience now. I think I'll have different feelings when 10% means an extra 10-mile run a week.

Speaking of 10-mile runs: I had my first one of the season this week. Went pretty well. I felt a little tired in my legs for two days after.

I'm back in Utah for a while now.

Mon: 5

Tues: 4

Wed: 7

Thurs: 12

Fri: 3.5

Sat: 4

WEEKLY TOTALS

35.5 miles; 2000'

Here's a link to my 12-miler. Although novel now, I'll be doing this type of run a few times a week come July and August.

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I've been in Boise this whole week. I spent a bunch of time with my parents, helped Wil at the Meridian farmers' market, and nearly completed a side table I've been in the middle of building for quite a while.

Graduation

Running went well this week:

Mon: 2.5

Tues: 4.5

Wed: 8

Thurs: 6

Fri: 8.5

Sat: 2.5

I ran in the foothills 3 times this week. Fun to get back to some of the trails I ran all last summer.

WEEKLY TOTALS

32 miles; 3,500'

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Earlier I posted about consistent training at a sustainable intensity. Over the past few weeks, I've tracked my progress on three flat runs. I maintained a constant heart rate and let that determine my pace. Here are the results:

Date HR Pace

4/18 155 9:35

4/30 157 8:25

5/5 157 7:51

The first two tests were done around 4500'. Today I ran at about 3000'. In less than a month, I've taken nearly 2 minutes off my pace with the same HR!

A heart rate of 155-160 is about a full marathon race effort, I guess. (I have only run one marathon and didn't know what I was doing.) Since I'm training for a 100-miler, this can all be considered speed work, in a way. In another month or so, I'll start some hilly 10-20 milers at a lower HR. My 100-mile HR will probably be around 140... for 24 hours.

Here's my run from today (5-5-11):

Not the best route, but I was trying to keep it flat and to end right at 6 miles.

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Broke into the 30's for weekly mileage. Foot felt 100% pain free till sunday afternoon. I'm back in Boise for jury duty all this week.

Definitely noticing an increase in aerobic efficiency over the past couple weeks. I'll write all about it in a week or two.

Mon: 4

Tues: 4

Wed: 6

Thurs: 5

Fri: 5

Sat: 6

WEEKLY TOTAL

30 miles

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