You crazy guys...I warned ya!
Ok, here is some info I just sent Mr. Salkowski regarding my most recent build-up, which was actually several months ago now:
My 10-week conditioning went like this in terms of weekly mileage: 68, 76, 84, 84,101, 105, 115, 110, 123, 112.
The Sunday long runs varied from 16 to 24 mi. I try to get 2 other pretty long runs during the week, but half the time, I can only get in one other run of 15+ mi. The road courses are all quite hilly.
Here is the best, or at least biggest (123) week:
Mon: AM: 8 mi on trail , then fly home from St. Louis.
PM: 8 mi + striders - road
Tues: AM: 6 mi - road
PM: 8 mi - road
Weds: AM: 7 mi - road
PM: 18 mi + striders - road
Thur: AM: 8 mi - road
PM: 8 mi - road
Fri: AM: 8 mi + 10 min hill springing - road
PM: 16 mi - road
Sat: AM: 12 mi on rugged trail
Sun: AM: 16 mi - road (I try to hit 20 - 24 mi on Sundays, but I started crashing a bit here, so called it a day. Might have been a tad depleted! I try to avoid running when totally out of gas, because I think it is a
shortcut to injury and otherwise, counterproductive).
I think Arthur would have liked to see a bigger difference between the AM run and PM run on some of those days. He liked the bulk of running to be in one of the runs, right? I just do the best I can. Most of my morning runs were
with the high school boys I coach and I put a high priority on their conditioning. Those were generally a little slower than the PM runs. The Saturday 12 miler is their long run for the week. As I recall, and my notes indicate that I felt just great for most of that week.
My body seems to thrive on high mileage. It sure takes up a lot of time, though, and asks a lot of my very-supportive family. I'm sure many people get great conditioning on one run per day. This 2-a-day business just works out better for my life, with the coaching and all. I start adding the striders about halfway through the 10 weeks. I add more and more hill exercises as I get near the end of the phase - up to 15 or 20 minutes. Arthur advised me to do this, so that it would not be as big a shock when starting the hill phase.
I am always very open to suggestions, so feel free, gents.
I'll post my hill phase soon...