Reshuffling the Deck

At the poker table and in life you can only play the cards you are dealt. So what do you do when the hand you are holding sucks?

Sometimes, the only thing to do is to reshuffle the deck and hope for the best.

I e-mailed Jeff Galloway and summarized the last few weeks as succinctly as I could. My e-Coach got back to me in less than a day and he reshuffled my training schedule.

Vince,

I'm so glad that you are back in commission. Thanks for your report.

I will take your word that you are free of infection. As you know there are lingering issues with medication, infection, and the loss of conditioning. It is always better to stay on the conservative side with infections because the relapses can be worse.

Best pace for long runs would be 12 min/mi, using a 2-1 ratio.

Walk for 6 min between the mile repeats, and walk for 20 seconds at the 800 mark in each, while the watch is running.

Here is a revised schedule:

Feb 25--30K--18 miles--DONE
Mar 4--12 x 1600--DONE
Mar 11--22 MI--37K
Mar 18--6 mi, with a TT
Mar 25--45K
Apr 1--14 x 1600
Apr 8--12K easy
Apr 16--Boston!
Apr 22--7-10K
Apr 29--10-15K
May 6--15-20K

Let me know if you have any questions.

Jeff

I am actually pretty hopeful about all of this. Doing well at the Boston Marathon this year, I mean. I am still going to be able - at least I hope I am! - to do two more long runs and the 14 one-mile repeats. I think the base will be there. My weekly 10 Ks include speed surges, which have been feeling pretty fast of late.

I weighed in at 186 this morning. My friends and family are remarking that they can see a real change over the past month, so a little encouragement goes a long way.

So, fingers crossed, I hope that the next hand of cards I get include a few Aces...