It's not that it would be difficult to surpass the amount of mileage in races and the types of races I did last year, it becomes more a question of do I want to do more than what I did last year. Some days the answer is yes, others it is no. Sort of like being out there running. Some moments I question my sanity, other moments I wouldn't want anything else but to be out there running.
This time last year, I had already had an awesome trail practice run on my own on the Maclehose trail in Hong Kong and ran the Hong Kong Marathon a few days later. This year, I've just been trying to find ways to get any miles into my weekly schedule. I'm not coaching for Team in Training this current season, hoping to be back in June for the Fall season. Not being "forced" to run long Saturdays and short miles Tuesdays has left me thinking I'm a little lazy. I've only ran longer than 15 miles once so far this year and most of my running has been split throughout the day when I do run. I feel like the only way I'm motivating myself to get out and run is to run the 2.5 miles to work (really the gym 1 block from work so I can shower after the run) and then run the 2.5 miles home after work. So 3-4 days out of the week depending on the weather in the morning I am going to run 5 miles. But it's not specific training like intervals, tempo, etc. It's just run and don't get hit by a car running a red light. From my new decision to keep a log of my runs, I estimate I have ran 232 miles so far this year. That equates to 35 miles a week. So looking at it that way, I'm not doing too poorly on keeping up with my fitness. And the runs I do indoors have been quality hard workouts. And as I figured out last year, I do not have to run 100+ mile weeks to run a good 100-miler, I just have to have quality workouts (easier said than done) and be smart during the 100-milers.
But now that February is halfway done, it's time I guess to start and pick up the miles a little more on the weekends at least. Especially since I do have a real race schedule coming up this year. One question is do I add anything to it and are there some races that I haven't signed up yet for but plan to do that I should not do?
March 3rd - Cammusett 50K (Long Island) - not signed up yet
April 6th - Mohonk Marathon Fatass (New Paltz)
April 13th - Bull Run-Run 50 miler (Manasses)
April 20th - Sybil Luddington 50K (Westchester?) - not signed up yet
May 4th - Bear Mt. 50 Miler (NY)
May 17th-18th - Reach the Beach Relay probably 28+ miles (Massachusettes) - not signed up yet
June 14th - TARC 100 miler - (Boston)
August 17th - Leadville 100 miler (Colorado)
October 20th - Amsterdam Marathon (Amsterdam)
For my needs and goals that usually manic, I think this is a good schedule. Why do I have to do much more than this? Let's see how it all evolves.