We've already had some snowfall (yes it melted immediately but that's not the point), Sam Adams Octoberfest tempts me at every turn, Halloween is in full swing (funny how goes from being a day to a "season" when you're a parent), and my brain is already daydreaming in its idle moments of roaring fireplaces, turkeys, and apple pies.
In other words, the holiday season has begun. And it doesn't end until a week into January at least (when the last "we never got together at Christmas, so let's catch up next week" meeting happens), and you could argue it stretches all the way through the superbowl....
I can't stress enough how important it is for me to have a strong running program during these months....
With my Couch-to-5K runs complete I'm now ramping up my run times and distance. The past couple runs have been 3 miles at about a 12:00 pace. I want to keep that pace and increase the distance to 4 miles over the next few weeks. I need to be able to run at this pace for 45 minutes or so. Then, I will begin specializing my runs:
- one long run a week which can be slower but will continue to grow to 5, 6 miles and beyond
- one fast run a week which is only 30-ish minutes and which will push my pace closer to 10:00
- one normal run a week which is at a comfortable pace for 45 minutes
I'm not there yet, but that's my plan. Adding a fourth run is possible but not a priority.
As for my fitness, my weight is where I want it to be through the end of the year. Honestly I'd love to lose another 10 pounds before Christmas but I'm not going to sweat it if I don't. Just staying around where I am through the holidays will be a victory, especially with my running increasing steadily during that time.
Yes, I know it's all head games ... but as long as they work, I'm okay with that.
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