Repeats and January Totals

Today I ran nine miles, including 6 X 600 meter repeats at 5K pace. I ran this same workout a few weeks ago. Last time it was really tough to complete each repeat. Today was also a tough workout, but not near as bad as last time. I'm pleased with my fitness. I now need to force myself off the cookies and ice cream diet and start concentrating on March 5.

January was probably my best training month ever. Here are my stats:
Total Miles: 285 (previous high was 272)
Total Runs: 30
Running Days: 26
Doubles: 4
Rest Days: 5

This was not only a good month due to the high mileage, but I also logged a number of quality workouts. One of the keys was allowing myself to run my recovery runs at a slow enough pace. In the past, I would often force myself to stay near 8:00 minute miles. I guess all the reading is finally starting to sneak in.

Just over a week and a half until I start my taper. The mileage in my taper is reduced, but there are still some tough workouts.