Monthly review for Oct

In Oct I ran about 187 miles, an increase from the 175 miles in Sept. My weekly mileage totals for each week ending in Oct were: 23.0, 49.8, 29.0, and 55.0 for each of the Sunday nights in the month. The number I like to follow the most is a moving thirty day total (see graph):

As of Oct 1st my previous thirty total was 167 miles and was 187 miles on the 31st. This was the month of 20 mile long runs and high mileage weeks followed by lower mileage weeks and 12 mile long runs.

Review: This month started with me skipping a 5 mile run due to some pain and just not wanting to get on the treadmill that day and skipping a 6 mile run the day after my 20th high school reunion and lots of beer (it was lots of fun). However, after that things went well for running. Each of my 20 mile runs (the major measuring stick) went better (faster) than the previous 20 miler. My pace on my last 20 miler was around 10:15; this is about what I was hoping it would be at this point and so the training has worked.

This month: The important thing over the next 3 weeks is to not gain weight. I will not be running as much and thus burning fewer calories. However, experience tells me your hunger does not decrease right away from running less. I'll be careful with food and have cut out beer until an hour or so after the marathon.

Upcoming: Nov is the taper month and the marathon is on the 21st. I can't predict how it will go but I should come in around (+/- 15 minutes) the same time as I had last time (5 years ago). The taper should help and sleeping well for two nights before the marathon might help. I've done all of the 20 milers after waking up at least 4 times each night to put the boy back to bed. I'm starting to think about my next set of goals. As of now, I want to work on running 12 miles as fast as I can on back to back weekend days for about two months and then work towards the 40 mile run in the late spring.