Long Distance Training - Inside and Out

   I have the Long Branch Half-Marathon coming up on April 30th. I last ran it three years ago in 1:35 and change, but in-between have suffered a torn meniscus in my right knee and subsequent arthritis in both.
   The past two years, I got injured in other areas with a lot of interval work on the treadmill, and couldn't run Long Branch at all. This year, I've trained more sensibly and age-appropriately, and have put in 30-plus miles per week since the start of the year without a setback.
    I've used my Jack Daniels' Running Formula VDOT Calculator to figure out most of training paces. Since my last 5-K in October was a 22:20, my "easy" runs outdoors are supposed to be at 9:37 mile pace, and with all the hills in the Watchung Mountains here, (plus my usual 10 lbs. of winter clothing!) that's about what it's been coming out to.
   Most of my treadmill runs have been at "marathon pace," which is 8:15 per mile mile, or 7.3 on the treadmill. For variety of mind and body, I change either the grade or the speed every quarter-mile, and most of the runs start out at about 7.0 on the treadmill (8:34 mile pace) and peak out at about 8.1  (7:24 per mile).  The slower paces, I trey to keep at a higher grade (2 or 3%), which feels about the same, effort-wise, as the faster paces at grade 1.
    I've limited my speed work to once a week this year because of my recent injury history. Usually, I've been doing mile repeats on the treadmill in around 7:30 per mile pace (8.0 on the treadmill). Typically, I'll do five, with a warm-up mile before, and quarter-mile walk/jog in-between. My heart rate generally will reach the low 150's by the end, which is about 90% of my max at age 58.
    All of this science projects out to a 1:44 half-marathon, which also can vary on weather, mental preparedness that day, proper pacing, and if I remember to take my Aleve that morning!
     I'll be motivated by the thought of a "Farmer's Breakfast" at the Four Seasons Diner in Eatontown afterward: pancakes (butter and syrup), eggs, and let's make it scrapple on the side!