Goooooood morning everyone. I wanted to share my running schedule with you all today. I have two big weeks of running left before I begin my taper (reduction in milage). Runners taper prior to a significant race so that their bodies can get fully recovered for the race effort. Tapers last anywhere from 2-4 weeks. The weeks just prior to the taper are usually the biggest running weeks.
As you know I will be doing the Strolling Jim 40 miler ultra-marathon in Wartrace, Tennessee. You can see my on the entrants list. Another cool thing is that an occasional reader of run4change will also be there doing the early start with me. Although I am quite the introvert, it will be nice to meet him. So for the next two weeks I am going to be pretty busy with my running. I have some hill work, speed work, and some pretty long long runs coming up. Here is the schedule.
Week 1
Mon & Tues & Sat: Off
Wed: 6 miles with 5 hill repeats @ 5k pace
Thurs: 6 miles easy
Fri: 6 mile tempo run with middle 3 miles @ 10k pace
Sun: 35 mile long run
Week 2 (The point of this hard week after a 35 mile long run is to give my body one last chance at learning how to run on very tired legs)
Mon & Tues: Off
Wed: 6 miles with 6 hill repeats @ 5k pace
Thur: 6 miles easy
Fri: 6 miles with 12 x 400 track work at 5k pace and 1 min rest between repeats
Sat: 6 miles easy
Sun: 2o mile long run with last 10 at race pace
So there you have it. This is what I will be doing in my final preparations for the Strolling Jim. My goal is to break the 7 hour mark. Last year I got 7:51 so this year I want at least a 6:59. You get a different colored shirt for each hour category so I am hoping to get a red shirt this year.
My angle on weight loss 
That’s a tough schedule. Be careful with your foot/ankle these next few weeks!
Oh yes linda. I will be monitoring it very closely. If it is not getting better, I will not run. I no I could finish the 40 miler without more training but it sure would make it easier if I could train more.
Best of luck with your preparations for the big day. You’ll look great in red! 🙂
HAHAHA. THanks Sharon.
You ultra runners amaze me. 🙂
Good luck with the training!
THanks michelle. I appreciate your support. You have a wonderul day. 🙂
hahahahaha “retired obese” Love it. Also like the other Jason that put down “selective listener”. Are the occupational descriptions always so funny or is it just this race?
Can’t wait to read how you feel afterwards!
It is just this race. The director is to me an extreme case of sarcastic humor. I guess that everyone just takes after him. I really hope I can remember my camera to take pics during the race at different stages. Either that or my wife will have to wait for me at different spots and she doesn’t like doing that at all.
I’m with AmyJoGo–I about peed my pants laughing after I read “retired obese” in the occupational description. You are a funny funny man! Good luck! I’m sure you will do great!
Thanks much athlete. That is so funny. It would be even more funny if you could read the whole description I put in but it cut a lot of it off.
I think it’s absolutely awesome that you are doing this Strolling Jim! Although just looking at that schedule makes me tired!! I really hope you get the red shirt though! That would be absolutely fabulous.
Thanks Jac. It is much appreciated your encouragement is. I too hope I get the red shirt. Thanks for you comment on my blog