Time for a New Plan

I mentioned briefly last week that the tendinitis in my left foot has returned.  It's not to the point yet that I feel I need to see a doctor, but I am questioning whether training for the Chambersburg Half Marathon is such a good idea.

So this weekend I dusted off some books that I haven't looked at in a while to get some perspective.  The first was Galloway's Book on Running by Jeff Galloway.  Galloway is known for his easy-going style and the use of regular walk breaks when training and racing.  His plans are intended to keep your body fresh and injuries to a minimum.  I used a modified version of his marathon plan (found in Marathon: You Can Do It!) to finish my first marathon in 2007.

In his Book on Running, he has several half marathon plans for various time goals.  I might not need as many walk breaks as he recommends, but I like his three-day a week plan (which also incorporates some cross-training on the "off" days) that still can push me toward my time goal.

I think one of my problems, especially over the last year has been to try to do too much.  I'm not a 2:30 marathoner or even a 3:30 marathoner at this point, so why would I try to use training schedules targeted at fast, experienced runners?

So it's time for a new plan.  If the foot gets worse over the next few weeks, I'll probably ditch Chambersburg and focus on getting healthy in time for the Finger Lakes Fifties.