Winter training for Boston

Training for Boston 2011 starts soon. Any suggestions for winter training, or hills or just general ideas for Boston?

My plan of attack is to add a hill workout once a week. Now I have let myself off the hook alittle and plan to do them in the woods. where it is nice and pretty but hilly. rolling I would say.

I am also going to allow myself to run on the TM is I have too. fingers crossed I never get snowed in so that I have to run 20's on the mill. gracious.

From my research (this is my first) the first half is downhill so I'm gonna try not to spend all my monies in the first half. save it for the hilly second half. I am not done doing my research so any info I find I will be sure to share.

I hope you'll do the same for me.

I am going to do Pfitzinger's 18/70 plan. It has worked for me in the past. I do not want to try anything new for this one. maybe next fall.

what plan will you do? I am interested in how you are going to tackle those hills and what mileage you will tap out on.

we can keep the lines of communication open and train together so to speak! I start next tues.

18 weeks of Boston training starts this Monday for me too!!!! SO EXCITED!!! I am also following the Pfitz 18/70 plan for this cycle. My approach is to pace myself through the ENTIRE cycle to avoid injury and make it to that beautiful starting line injury free and ready to go!

I am focusing on keeping the long runs SLOW, and trying to hit all the key workouts (LT's, MP runs and VO2's) as hard as possible. I think last cycle I wore myself down but not doing all of the recovery runs at the proper pace.

I recently moved to a less hilly area (I was in hill heaven before) so I am going to have to make it my business to find some good ones...I have my eye on a couple for some nice hill repeats.

Like Geely I have been studying the course and pretty much agree with everything she said. She is the running goddess ya know !

Do you have a plan in mind? What part of the country are you in?

this will be great Betjet!!! same plan same race!! I want to take it alittle easier on myself. meaning some runs in the woods. and I am going to race alittle bit more. I have a 20k trail race on Jan 2nd, then a 10 miler on Jan 16, then I do a half on march 16th ( i think it is the 16th)

I am wondering how to train for a downward first half? some treadmill runs on a decline maybe?

Geely - I don't know about the downhill first half part. I do have some nice steep shorter hills close by so I was just thinking about running hill repeats once a week...hoping that both the up AND down part would be good for me. Figure it's better than nothing right? Hopefully we won't get hammered with snow this year because they are grassy.

The only races I have thus far on my winter schedule are a 5 miler Polar Bear run the day after Christmas and a 1/2 marathon March 6th (think that will be my MP setting race also). I am a baby and don't like to race as much in the cold as I do in the summer.

And yes I agree about taking it easier on oneself...if I am going to run this many miles this cycle I really need to also make the easy/recovery runs TRULY easy. I want to kick Boston out of the stadium!!!!!

HA! me too...I want to shine like a star!!!! thats my moto this time...shine on sista!

OK last weekend of fun right?! HAHA the work starts tues!

Wow you guys, it is really exciting for those of us who only dream of Boston at this point in our running careers (well at least me who is at the 'just finish a marathon' type of goal but secretly dream of Boston) to live vicariously through you as you research, train and plan. Please, please, please keep posting about what you are learning and doing so I can be part of it to. I can't even imagine how exciting it is to be training for Boston. You are awesome runners and an inspiration!

You can do it too...I promise.

Some day...for now I'll be happy cheering for you guys.

Wow, good stuff! Base training started this week. Of course the coldest, worst weather of the year. I have a good area with rollomg hills and a few longer ones for repeats. Just gotta beat the cold and watch the ice. Time to look for chains for the running shoes. And the old Dreadmill.
Good luck with the training, I'll see you in Boston