Next 4 weeks plan, midweek update

My next 4 weeks training plan is shown above. The last months injuries decimated my running training from last month, but I was able to cross train in equal amounts, so I don't feel as though I have lost fitness. My ankle sprain on Saturday kept me off running until tonight, Wednesday. I completed a 9 mile run, in darkness, with no problems. I taped my ankle to protect it, as I knew the first 2 miles were on terribly rough ground. After that I removed the tape, as 70% of the remaining route was on good paths or road. Both feet and ankles felt good throughout the run, so I'm hoping normal service really is resumed this week.

This weekend I have a tough test; two back to back 20 milers on Saturday and Sunday. I will probably not do the night run I mentioned in the last post, and just run locally in the day. A night run is asking for trouble with my recent luck with feet and ankles!

This month also sees my primary milestone for 2007; The Round Rotherham 50. It is a 50 mile route around the town of Rotherham in Yorkshire. There are a few hills, but it looks relatively flat. There is just 3000ft of ascent in the whole 50 miles. I have never covered 50 miles before, so this will be my 'MDS long day'. I won't carry a full pack, more likely around 5kgs. I'm hoping to average 4mph or better, but I'd settle for 4mph and success. It starts in the dark and finishes in the dark, so I will have to be careful. I have given myself a deliberately much easier week following the RR50. I don't want to tempt more injuries by clocking up well over 100 miles in a week. I've planned it, so I should do no more than 75 miles in the 7 days around the event, including the event itself. Otherwise I will be averaging around 60 miles per week. I'm hoping my Raidlight Evolution II pack arrives before the event. It should have been sent from France in the last day or two. I need to put this pack through it's paces and see if I prefer it to the Raidlight Sac Runner that I have used for almost two years.

I hope that the rest of my training goes well this week. I will update on Sunday night as usual.