April 4th Preview

I toss a double switch at you this weekend. You run on Saturday, and at the Row River Trail. The first change is to avoid conflicts with Easter plans. The second is to give a change of scene for your 19-mile run.

Scenic and serene Row River is near Cottage Grove, which requires some extra driving but is worth it. Directions are in this week's email. The trail is paved and marked every half-mile. There's a restroom with water fountain at the parking lot, plus four possible restroom stops along the path.

The route, from the Mosby Creek Trailhead: 3.0 milepost (at a bridge near the parking lot) to Dorena School at 12.5 and back.

Bring two drinks, the first for delivery four and 15 miles, the second for the turnaround and finish. Weather forecast: starting temperature in 40s with light rain possible.

WEEK'S LESSON: YOUR PROGRESS

Question: Our long runs from 11 miles on go up by two miles every other week instead of the more common single mile each week. Is this too big a jump?

Answer: The generally recognized as safe rate for increasing mileage is 10 percent per week. Our increase from 11 miles through 21 averages just 6.5 percent weekly. Scheduling the long run on alternate weekends makes doubly sure than you don’t overdo. For most runners, a weekly long run (increasing by a mile at a time) allows too little recovery time in between. Hence, our plan of alternating longer runs on one weekend with those about half as long the next. The shorter ones increase by a mile each time, or the same 6.5-percent-per-week average. In both cases, long or short, we go longer each time to give a necessary sense of steady progress in distance.