February 22nd Preview

Marathon training reaches half the eventual distance on Sunday. This does not mean you race this week's "half" (though some of you will be racing one later in the program). Instead run it at what you hope will be your eventual marathon pace.

The course (from the Eugene Running Company, starting at 8:00): 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. To Alton Baker parking lot (east end) and turn around. Back the same way: Valley River, Autzen, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 13.09 miles.

Eugene half-marathoners can do one lap of this course: Autzen, Valley River, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 6.95 miles, with shorter options available.

Marathoners, bring two drinks -- the first for delivery at about three and 10 miles (Ferry Street), the second for 6.5 (Alton Baker) and finish. Weather forecast: starting temperature near freezing and sunny.

WEEK'S LESSON: YOUR HALF

Question: How does a half-marathon race fit into my marathon training program?

Answer: It’s a chance to judge your progress in our program, a chance to see different people (plus more of them) and places than with our group, and a chance to experience the racing atmosphere. The 13.1-mile distance is perfect for all of this, provided you’ve built your training mileage to at least 11. This is more a true race than the marathon, which can be more a survival test. Your result here predicts what you might run in a marathon. No, you can’t double this race time. The more accurate formula multiples your half-marathon time by 2.1. A two-hour half, for instance, equates to a 4:12 marathon.