100 Mile Training Starts Today

Before I get into my 100 mile training plans I must briefly recap the first 5 and half months of this year.

Charity Update
On December 31st, Amy and I set a goal of raising $10,000 in 2017 for NF Northeast for research
Fundraising snapshot - June 2017
and to help those coping of NF.  At the time, we thought this was really aggressive, but decided that if you are really going to go after something you need to go big.

I am happy to say that with the help and generous donations of our friends, family, and my employer's (Cisco) matching gift program, we have achieved that goal and it was roughly 7 months ahead go schedule.

Amy and I are not stopping now.  We have both committed to run the Falmouth Road Race (August) with NF Northeast / raise another $2000 and we both will be participating in the Coast to Cure NF Bike event (September).  We are greatly looking forward to these.

26 X 1 Club Challenge
Location: Medford, MA
Date: 6/11/2017
Distance: 1 mile
Goal: 4:59 
Actual: 5:00

In June of ever year my running club, SRR, holds a race called the 26 X 1 Club Challenge.  The concept is quite simple, you have a relay team of 26 people running 1 mile each (1 additional person runs the difference so that relay is a full marathon).

In 2014, I crushed my PR (by 17 seconds) and broke 5 for the first time.  Going into the race this year, I simply wanted to prove to myself that I still had a sub 5 minute mile in me.

Post race libations at The Pub
Over the past 3-4 weeks I have been attempting to dial in this pace and have done a number of track workouts: 1000 meter repeats, 400 meter repeats, and even a few 200 meter repeats.

Going into the race today I was ready.  The plan was the same as always: start out in the low 70's, try to remain under 2:30 at the half and 3:45 at the 1200, and the finish with a strong kick.

I started out a little quick with a 69 second first lap and was at 2:27 at the half.  Pretty much right on target.  I slowed a little too much during the third lap and was at 3:47 at the 1200 and had my work cut out for me.  I closed with a 73 and handed the baton off in exactly 5 minutes.

While I would have loved to have gone sub-5 again, I am happy with the result and happy to know that I can really kick it into gear when I need to.

100 Mile Training
Since the Boston Marathon I have not been following a training plan. I was trying to keep it simple; get in some speed work, a long run here and there, and have some fun while keeping the weekly milage between 30 - 50.  For the most part I obeyed this.  I got in some good speed work (see above), a few good train runs (The Fells and the Western Greenway), and a long run of just under 24 miles.

While I enjoyed this brief back off, I am eager to get into my next cycle.  Tomorrow I start my 17 week ramp up for the Hennepin 100. It is broken into four blocks with a recovery week every fourth week.  This plan has me reaching a new weekly high of 117 miles and a new longest run of 66 miles. It has me tackling three sets of gnarly terrain with major league back to back runs.

While I am a little scared of this plan, I am also excited about it.  I tried to incorporate everything that I have learned about endurance training over the past ten years into; balance of speed, volume, consistency, race specific training, and to keep it interesting and fun.

While it is doubtful that I will hit it exactly, you have to start somewhere so you mind as well dream big.

- Scot

The Hennepin 100 Training Plan - V1

Comments