Sudden breakthrough in my training. I'm feeling positive about where this is going.

I'm no expert, but to answer your original question: How can I still get better?

It seems to me you ARE still getting better just by doing what you are doing now. Why not just continue doing what you are doing until you plateau and then start looking for more ways to get better?

It's good to hear success stories. Keep up the good work!

Thank you for the kind words. I also know I have a ton of work to do, and these times aren't that great compared to everyone here. But it's good to see the work you put in show tangible results.

:)

I am stuck thinking of how to pronounce your name.

Do I just clear my throat?

Hi Jecht,

If I recall, you are into 1/2s and marathons.

So your training kind of makes sense to me, it sounds as though you are running by feel

and doing a few miles up to 10 or 11 miles, which is great.

You say

Do you ever have days where everything just falls into place in your training and it keeps you going on this journey?

[/quote]

I am kind of like you in that all I do is steady runs. I don't do intervals or anything else. Used to years ago but not these days/

The answer is yes, I feel better the more I run. I go by how I feel and the word 'expectation' is one of my favourite words. I always have high expectations. If I don't feel good on one day, I will expect to bounce back. I'm always expecting to feel good, even though that may not always be the case.

Jecht--like "eject".

I "should" work on getting my 5k and 10k faster, and that should help with my marathon times, but I am at a point before I get married and I have more free time to run the longer distances. I figure I can work on improving my speed at the shorter distances later.

Stretching can make a huge improvement, you also are more warmed up in your runs that aren't below freezing compared to your runs where it is 20 something f.

Yes, many times some things just click for me and I feel great. Often times I run by feel similar to you and don't prescribe to a specific pace. I shouldn't be out of breath on easy days, but I SHOULD be able to breathe and talk for more than 1-2 words.

Yesterday I averaged 7:22 for my easy run and felt great, ended with some sprints in the 5 minute range and ran the last mile of my 8 miles fast in the low sevens with one of my students. Last week? I had an easy 6 miles and felt like I was dying at high 7:40s, no clue how I was going to manage marathon goal pace work the next morning and took it even slower.

Just run what feels easy but what is honestly easy at that time, not a certain pace. That can change all the time. As you get fitter, you'll get faster and things will get easier. Just go along for the journey and keep doing what works for you. Once it stops working, then it would be worth changing something.

Going on this journey, things that keep me going are progress, patience, consistency, and honestly just taking my easy days easy. Its fun to run and listen to music or a podcast and sweat, but it's not fun for me to run reps and feel like I'll puke.

jecht wrote:

I "should" work on getting my 5k and 10k faster, and that should help with my marathon times, but I am at a point before I get married and I have more free time to run the longer distances. I figure I can work on improving my speed at the shorter distances later.

This is the opposite of what the human body would dictate.

Will training for a faster 5k help to improve your half marathon or marathon performance?

If yes, then you aren't training that well for the longer distances and your improvement is basically just stemming from a general fitness improvement.

If no, that's because you were already fit and well-practiced at running marathon to half marathon pace.

You can improve all you want for marathon and half marathon with big long runs and miles and workouts at marathon to half marathon pace without ever really running as fast as what your 5k pace might be. Half marathon is so long that you can pretty much improve as much as you want by increasing mileage and aerobic fitness without ever focusing on speed.

Oh yes, today I knew was going to be a slow day and I don't really have any goal paces for EZ days. But over time the EZ pace has dropped from 9:30 to 8:45 (breathing through the nose, no effort at all). So it gives me hope.

It really does get the lactic out of your legs!

Like for instance I'll do 6 EZ, 3 out, 3 back, on the Olentangy Trail. Will start at Worthington Hills and run to OH-161 and the off-ramp of 161 and OH-315 (3 miles exact). I'll check my watch then, and won't check it until I finish at the start point.

I run EZ with just breathing through my nose and with only a slight push in my legs.

Today, after a hard run yesterday, I did 6 in 52:20 or so but it was 15-20% effort. I should get a heart rate monitor and/or a Garmin.