Running Organization

During my last few runs, I've been thinking about the running I've been doing and if I'm making the most of the time I'm putting into it. I realize that at the moment I'm trying to log a lot of miles before beginning race specific training. I also realize that adding miles and doing speedwork or hill training is a recipe for injury (right now I do nothing other than easy runs with the exception of a few miles at goal marathon race pace). The thing I'm wondering about is if I should worry about organizing my runs better. In other words should I try to spread out the mileage better. Right now, I tend to load a high percentage of my miles into the first two or three days of the week. This is partially because my long run is on Sunday, but it's also because I keep running during the days after my long run, so I'm usually tired at the end of the week and end up taking a day off.

The question that I'm asking myself is whether I should make a better effort to take it easier (run slower and for less mileage) a day or two after my long run. I'm relatively close to beginning my training for the Pacific Shoreline Marathon (the race is February 4), so I don't really have time to effectively change my plan in the couple of weeks before race specific training starts, but this will be one area I'll have to look at before my next buildup.

Today I ran ten miles, with two miles (miles 3-5) at marathon goal pace. I was encouraged by this run. The marathon pace miles felt relatively easy, and my legs weren't sore or tired after the run. This is the first time I ran more than a mile at race pace in over a month. It went well.