January 10th Preview

We're trying again this Sunday for a good running surface and a full training team. "Try" is the key word, with the slight possiblity of overnight icing again in the forecast. I'll update you by email that early morning if we need to change our plans.

The distance is eight miles, with an eight o'clock start from the Eugene Running Company. The store will open at 7:45.

The route, to D Street in Springfield and back. Details: Oakway and Coburg Roads to Ferry Street Bridge and don't cross. Turn left onto bike path, to road near Alton Baker Park restrooms. Follow road past Autzen Stadium to end at canal path. Turn right and follow stream under I-5 to end of path at D Street. Turn AROUND there and come back the same way: Canal, road, Alton Baker, Ferry and store. GPS distance is 7.95 miles.

Bring a drink for delivery at boat ramp (about 3.5 and 4.5 miles). Weather forecast: starting temperature in 30s and little chance of rain.

WEEK TWO MARATHON LESSON: YOUR EXTRAS

Question: If I have raced this distance before, can or should I do more training than this program lists?

Answer: More isn’t necessarily better. For these months, stick to the scheduled distances on weekends, neither shorter nor longer, and take as many of these runs as possible with the team. The average increase of one mile week already pushes the safe limit of 10 percent, and one of the goals here is to keep you healthy throughout the program. Adding extra miles could put you at risk of injury, and our first goal is to get you safely to the starting line. The only run specified is the weekly long one. No schedule-for-all is prescribed during the week, since how each of you feels and what you need varies greatly. I can give you as much or as little individual advice as you want for planning those runs. The guiding principle for weekdays: nothing so hard that it might interfere with the next long run.