Beautiful, hilly run

On a morning when it probably hit 60 degrees, I ran about 5.5 miles in 50 minutes. I started with a lap around the Mount Pleasant golf course, a very hilly mile, then took off for 15 minutes along old highway 34 going west. That half-hour covered 3.45 miles -- about 8:40 pace over a hilly stretch. Then I did another lap of the golf course. I ran it pretty slow, more of a cooldown, over the extremely hilly terrain.

As I suspected Wednesday, this represents a step up in my conditioning. I was running about 9:15 pace on such a run, then it dipped to 9:00. Now, I'm around 8:30 to 8:45. This is very exciting going into a great winter of running. What I need to do is keep up this great stretch and add some tempo running, 8:00 or a little faster, to keep me sharp.

I do want to get the long run up to about 80 minutes at some point this winter.

Tentative weekend long run schedule:

• Nov. 14 -- 55 minutes
• Nov. 21 -- 60 minutes
• Nov. 28 -- 40 minutes
• Dec. 5 -- 60 minutes
• Dec. 12 -- 65 minutes
• Dec. 19 -- 70 minutes
• Dec. 26 -- 40 minutes
• Jan. 2 -- 70 minutes
• Jan. 9 -- 75 minutes
• Jan. 16 -- 80 minutes
• Jan. 23 -- 40 minutes

I want to still make it 4 runs a week. Tuesday, Thursday, Saturday, Sunday.

Tuesday: Interval/threshhold work. Keep the pace smooth and steady. Don't sprint or go hog-wild.

• Warmup mile, 7:45-8:00 mile, 5 minute jog/walk rest, 7:45-8:00 mile, cooldown mile (threshold).
• 40 minutes Fartlek run (4 x 5 minutes at threshold pace).
• 2 miles steady (17:30) -- then 6xneighborhood-hill loop (2 miles) -- then 15-minute cooldown (intervals).
• Warmup 10 minutes to Old Threshers, then 3x800ish loop there in 3:30-3:40ish, with 3-minjute rest, then cooldown by running back (intervals).
• Same thing at Cedarcrest: warmup lap, 3 x 1st tee-to-green loop in 3:30-3:40, with 3-minutes rest, then cooldown by running another lap (intervals).
• Warmup mile, then 6x400 in 1:45ish, with 2 minute rest, then cooldown mile (intervals).

Thursday: 35-40-minutes easy, then 10 strides.

Saturday: Longer, 8:45 to 9:00 pace.

Sunday: 30 minutes.

Next week: Tuesday, Nov. 10: Old Threshers intervals.

Thursday, Nov. 12: 35-40 minutes easy, plus 10 strides.

Saturday morning, Nov. 14: 55 minutes.

Sunday morning, Nov. 15: 30 minutes.

Miles on new shoes -- 273