half coming up -- feedback on how to get ready?!

[teetime]

My DH signed me up for a half as a mother's day gift. I've really wanted to get back out there after taking a long hiatus from road races starting with trying to get pregnant through today (kids now 2.5 years old).

I've been running but MUCH less than in my past life and MUCH slower. Not surprisingly, I've never been so injury or pain free.

I'm not too worried about the distance. The run (no race for me) is in September and I've been running 8-9 miles once a week for awhile and 10 felt pretty easy yesterday. But I'd rather it not be the slogging I'm currently doing (yesterday's run was 10:30s, my marathon pr -- albeit 10 years ago now  -- was 8:05s).

Currently, I usually run (jog to be honest) 3 times a week. Sometimes 4 times but that's about it. Other days I spin for about 60-75minutes. Should I focus on fitting in more runs? (A bit hard because I can spin in the wee early morning hours before kids are up but can't really fit in runs then.) Make one run a week include speed work (I run home from the office which is 6-7 miles so can't make it shorter but can include intervals.) Keep doing HIIT on the bike to keep injury free and just focus on increasing running time.

Any and all advice welcome.

[Virginia Plain]

Currently, I usually run (jog to be honest) 3 times a week. Sometimes 4 times but that's about it. Other days I spin for about 60-75minutes. Should I focus on fitting in more runs? (A bit hard because I can spin in the wee early morning hours before kids are up but can't really fit in runs then.) Make one run a week include speed work (I run home from the office which is 6-7 miles so can't make it shorter but can include intervals.) Keep doing HIIT on the bike to keep injury free and just focus on increasing running time.

Any and all advice welcome.

I've learned that this is the best way to keep me enjoying running. 

Which one ya doing?

[siamesedream]

Maybe an extra day of running, try to run at least 25 miles per week.

[teetime]

I've learned that this is the best way to keep me enjoying running. 

Which one ya doing?

Do you mean mixing in lots of other non-running stuff or signing up for lots of races? (I can see the benefit of both!)

This is called the Army-Navy half. It's right in DC and until recently was just a shorter race. I've done most of the local halfs (DC, MD, and VA) so my husband thought I might like to do this one. The nice thing is that it's close to home and all roads I know well, so I'll bike down (or grab a ride) and then he and the kids can come meet me at the end.

Maybe an extra day of running, try to run at least 25 miles per week.

This is a good threshold to stay above. WOW, I hadn't tallied miles at all lately and realize how FEW I'm running. I remember last time I was keeping track, a 45 mile week was light. I just need to readjust to this new me (And I'm in MUCH better biking shape than in the past so there's that ... I should probably try some organized bike rides sometime too.)

[Virginia Plain]

Do you mean mixing in lots of other non-running stuff or signing up for lots of races? (I can see the benefit of both!)

Cross training.  I used to just run run run.  It got burned out on it. I was faster for sure but now I feel like a better runner, more aware of my limits and I conserve better.