Final Beat Down Plans

Tuesday- 3 miles- 33min easy trails
Wednesday- 4 miles 31min w/ 8 x striders

Well I am now ALMOST out of the Army. A lot of paperwork processing the last couple days. Now nothing much to do but wait for the final paper to come back saying Honorable Discharge. Exciting!

Well, Monday's workout did what I wanted it too. I was pretty sore yesterday....able to run, but sore enough that I didn't want to. I had originally planned for 4 x 2.5 downhill miles and was thinking 5k of downhill in 10 miles was just so beautiful numbers-wise...but when I got into the workout I felt immediately that the quads were going to be shot after only a couple. Thus I sped up on the 2nd rep after coasting the first knowing I could only manage a couple and should make them quick. I could have done a 3rd, but a 4th would have been pointless being overkill. Overall I am happy I was able to sneak out and get this kind of work in as I think it will be invaluable for the hills of Vermont.

So what am I planning for my last beat down workout before the big race (which is 3 weeks away now)????? Well, I feel like I am in good cardiovascular shape. I am confident I can go the distance having done 6 and 7 hour runs at or slightly under goal pace. I am a bit worried about the hills, but think I will be all right. The debate today is what to do now? I think some of my friends recently put in too much prior to WS 100 (or too close..not allowing enough muscle repair) and went in with dead legs. I have also done this in the past and don't want to repeat it.

So this is my plan:
1) No run beyond 90 minutes the last 20 days before race day
2) One last Long effort to stimulate my fat oxidizing enzymes. Thus I plan to go do a LONG hike over the next couple days. Hiking rather than running to save the muscles, but yet long enough to stimulate the system that needs the work.
3) One last run of 18 miles with a bunch of downhill in the mountains as my last attempt to damage those quads done July 1st.

With my long LONG runs being 11 and 8 weeks prior to race day I should be well recovered and ready. Hopefully the above plan will optimise this prep and not undo it! Some would say I am woefully under trained for a 100. I mean I am only averaging 60 miles a week. I have only one 26, one 40, and one 50 miler in my legs in the 5 months leading up to the race.

All I can say is I have done way more for previous 100's and have also done much much less. So this one aught to be just right huh?!