GOTTA LOVE OFF DAYS!

I sat down this morning, after chasing baby girl for 2.5 hours!, to set up my training schedule for the Indy Mini-Marathon.  I am doing the half marathon distance with my sister Amy (in our sparkle skirts!) and the Ray-Man.  I counted out the days on the training schedule and set to start typing it into my calendar.  (If it doesn't make the calendar in the iPhone, it doesn't get done!  :) )  I was excited to see that the number of days to the race is the exact same as on the training schedule.  124 to be exact! 

I was even more excited to realize that meant today was an OFF day!  Woohoo!  Love those off days!  :)

I was desperately trying to figure out when I was going to get to the gym today anyways!  Errands to run, naps to play around with and the gym childcare time.  Luckily not a worry.  I would love to get a workout in after all the eating I did this weekend, but I know I should value my OFF days.  Maybe I will try a little Wii Fit yoga during baby girls afternoon nap. 

I am doing a new training program this year that I read about in Runners World.  The Hanson-Brooks training plan.  I am bad at speedwork but one of my goals is a sub 1:50 half marathon this year so I know I need to get speed and tempo work into my schedule.  One thing intimidating about this schedule is the amount of running I will be doing.  5 days a week, 2 off days.  It is going to be a lot of juggling with work and family life, but it can be done. 

And IF I hit every run, like I should and not including the speed and strengthening workouts, I will be at 530 miles for the year.  More than half way to my goal of 1000 miles with tall mom on the run and only 5 months into the year!  That in itself should keep me motivated. 

But I have a question: how long should my speed and strength workouts be?  I see the pace I should be running them at on their training schedule, but not a distance.  Anyone got an answer?

This week's training schedule
Monday: OFF, yoga?
Tuesday: 3 MILES
Wednesday: 3 MILES
Thursday: OFF, yoga?
Friday: 4 MILES
Saturday: OFF
Sunday: 2 MILES