New Running Rules

I realized on my run today that I am not at all following any sort of plan, let alone Hal Higdon's. I seem to just be following my own internal sense of what to do next. This is not always a great idea. So here are the guidelines I am laying down to help me stay focused on days when I just don't feel like hitting the road.

1. Exercise occurs six days a week. Three days of running, three days of something else, one day of nothing.
2. I run on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Saturdays.
3. I do something else on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays.
4. I do nothing on Sundays.
5. Each run/walk ratio will be done on at least three runs and on no more than six runs before I must increase the run/walk ration.
6. From here on out, increases occur by the full minute, until I reach 8&1.
7. Every run shall last at least 30 minutes.
8. For now, that means that each run is at least 2.4 miles in length.
9. I cannot run the same route twice in a week.
10. All prior rules remain in effect! (See original postings.)

There. Now let me just share some happies about today's run. I upped my ratio to 4&1. This was particularly exciting for me because I realized afterwards that I ran for a total of 17+ minutes and only walked for a total of 14 minutes. The running now lasts longer (total) than the walking. Yippee! That aside, the run kinda kicked my butt. The odor of fresh manure was quite overwhelming, and I had asthma almost the whole way. Na ja. These things happen. It was still a good run with my full entourage. And as I used to say quite often:

Run hard, live easy.