McMillan HM Training: Week 2 Recap

Week 2 of 10

I completed another week of training! This is a McMillan plan available to Strava premium ("summit") members. I'm targeting an early October half-marathon. Then another half-marathon in early November. Can I keep going and make it three full weeks of structured training? Maybe. Last week went well. The plan is based on minutes, not miles, but I did 27 miles this week (4 hours, 2 minutes). Here are my thoughts on each day:

Monday: Rest day! What a fantastic way to start the week. Runners need to rest and recover from the weekend's long run. With Monday as a regular rest day, I look forward to the rest of the week.

Tuesday: 50-minute easy run. Felt good. Last week this run was only 40 minutes. 50 minutes felt right. Slow progression is smart.

Wednesday: Rest. This is an optional cross-training or very easy run day. I took it completely off. Injury prevention is a priority. Plus, I want to stay motivated to complete the real runs. Extra days off help me look forward to upcoming runs.

Thursday: 4 x 1-mile tempo intervals. The program called for 2 x 2-mile tempo intervals, but I adjusted to 4 x 1-mile. This was a great workout! Used my heart rate monitor for the first time in 2 months. It helped me adjust my running based on effort. My HR was a bit low on the first interval, but slightly high on the following three intervals. I need to stay disciplined and run these intervals at the correct pace--not too hard, not too easy. I have some work to do! Still, this workout made me feel like a real runner.

Friday: Off. Another rest day. I like 3 full days of rest.

Saturday: 40-minute easy run. This went particularly well. Easy effort, but a slightly faster pace than usual. Am I already gaining fitness?

Sunday: 1:35 long run. Excellent workout. Started early and avoided the warmer temps. Faster, and felt better, than last Sunday's run. Took one run gel at start and another at 5 mile mark. Managed a negative split--good sign that I am building strength. Bring on week three!