Trying not to get ahead of myself ... again

My training for the Iron Horse 100 Endurance Run continues to move ahead nicely. I've been averaging 45-50 miles per week of training and have completed at least two 22 milers in the past few weeks. My midweek runs continue in the 6-8 miles per day range and I'm being fairly consistent about taking one day per week completely off from running. All in all, I'm happy with how things are moving forward towards February 18.

With the 100k now less than 6 weeks away, I'm nearing my peak mileage weeks of training, so I'm now starting to lean even more heavily on the weekend long runs and the back-to-back component that goes with them. For instance, I'm planning on running around 22 miles this Saturday morning, and will follow it up on Sunday with another 10 mile LSD run. This is a huge departure from marathon training tactics, and I'll be honest, it's not particularly easy to accomplish. It is making me stronger though, and I do believe that my endurance and mental toughness is seeing a benefit from it. I once heard a fellow ultra runner say that running a 100 miler is 90% mental, and the other 50% is physical. I'm believing that more and more.

I know how many of you have an absolutely hatred for the treadmill in your training, so I know you'll get a kick out of this. A few days ago, I needed to run a 24 miler. No problem, right? Wrong. Mother Nature brought a thunderstorm of epic proportions to our area and there was simply no way for me to spend 4+ hours out in it. What did I do? Bag the 24? Skip the run? Wait until another day?

You got it. I ran the miles on the ole treadmill. That's a LLLLLONG time to run on a treadmill, let me tell you. I started about 10 minutes after midnight, and I stepped off the 'mill at 4:25am. I don't know how I managed to do it, honestly, but I did. My relationship with our 'mill is a Love/Hate one. Sometimes, we get along fine; other times we hate each other.

Here's hoping noone has to do what I did...

Let the midnight-til-3am-running-in-the-garage-in-pitch-darkness BEGIN !

I think I mentioned it a few weeks ago, but I finally ran (no pun intended) our treadmill into the ground. Actually, I know that I did. Time for a funeral, but I don't have a hole big enough to bury the thing in.

Guess I could cremate it? Anyway...

Over the course of my running life (6 years now) I logged over 1,000 miles on that treadmill. I know most of you guys don't like the treadmill, and I don't either. For the most part, that is. And admittedly, it doesn't get very cold here in Georgia. But I've gotten to the point where it is a bit harder to get up at 4:30am every morning and head outside into 20 degree weather for a 9 mile tempo run, and in those types of cases, make no mistake about it, I LOVE the treadmill.

Here's the thing, here's the reason for my love: Since I am one that is prone to decide at the last possible moment (go figure. Just ask my wife) that I want to go grab a 14 miler, the mill sitting in our garage gives me that ability. Did I mention that my run will likely BEGIN around midnight? Getting out in the neighborhood just isn't as appealing at that hour, so having the mill here gives me the flexibility I need, where I need it.

This past training cycle, I logged at least three 15 milers, two 16 milers and a whopping two 20 milers on the mill. Again, most (if not all) of them took place after midnight when the rest of the family were sound asleep. Besides that, it's a heck of alot warmer in the garage.

Having resurrected our previous treadmill from the absolute dead at least 4 times in the past 2 years, I knew it was time for some new technology. I did my homework, read the reviews, asked the questions. I know what I'm looking for, I just needed to find it. Mind you, I am what you might call "cheap", so you're not going to find a $1,200 treadmill in our garage. Not considering that I am absolutely going to run it until it won't work any longer.

The previous mill was a nice ProForm RT2.0, and it held up like a champ. We decided to go with another ProForm, and I found it at a great price as well. Can't beat that.

So, let's show some t'mill love around here, guys. After all, treadmills have feelings too.