I think you are on the right track. Endurance comes first. You might be surprised that developing speed doesn't have to mean a whole bunch of intervals. You can add 100's 1-2 x a week and see some amazing results.
Chuck Smead, a very good marathoner back in the 1970's loved long runs in the hills punctuated by 10 x 110 (yards). He did quite well on this type of workout. Chuck ran a 2:13 back in the late 1970's or early 1980's and was the American record holder at 50K.

Thursday's run - Cloudy, 75 degrees with 78% humidity, yuk!

10.03 miles - 1:25:11 - (8:29)

HR - 123 / 145

Good luck Rich and Pro with your runs this weekend give em ****!

Euphie, nice runs and I have to agree with the Pro on your backing off and making sure your runs feel easy this next week. Of course now I have to do the same thing and use some discipline this next week and really back off a bit before my marathon on October 7th. Easy to say...harder to do at least for me.

------------------
My User Profile[/URL" target="_blank">

"Keep on Running"
Bob

Yay!! Liz is back!!! I admire your patience and cross training regime to get you here.

It's funny how after we've been running for awhile how we whine about our times (darn--wanted to nail 8 minute miles for 10 straight...) but when we've been on the DL, we are ecstatic with a 14:28 pace.... such is our addiction.
3.6 yesterday for me, 5.4 today. Didn't time them. Good weekends to all.
Euphie--can't wait to read your RR--- you're ready to rock! glidegal

3.3 in 32 minutes, so I am now officially under 10 minute miles. The little milestones we prize so dearly!

Back home I did 29 minutes of exercises, and they are coming along nicely too. Tomorrow I will try to jog a 5-miler and see how that feels. Spareribs

"I suspect that chronic soreness and injuries to my hamstrings and glutes have shortened my stride. (My cadence seems OK at 175-180 in training, and >180 at faster paces.)
Would you (and others) say my problem is speed or more strength/stamina?"

If anyone were to nail down my problems, that says it all. The chronic problems I have had for the last 3 years in the glute/hams have certainly affected my stride, and I am only now seeing a glimmer of hope through disciplined PT that is correcting it.

In the last short cycle I had of being in shape and on the way to being in better shape, I got hurt again, but during that time I felt when I raced that I could really "throw that front leg out there" with total comfort. The glute and ham problems keep you from doing that. The exercises I am doing now have added strength to muscles that were causing an imbalance in my stride and I am hopeful.

Jim and Raider were just talking about strengthening exercises and I agree with them, but my strengthening exercises are not to make my legs stronger; they are to make targeted muscles play a more active role in helping me to have a better stride, foot plant and hip rotation.

And for me to race well, I have to have all this work well, without any impediments, because I have NO SPEED! Spareribs

OhioMom

Use Galloway walk breaks throughout and you'll make 20 miles easily. Walk for something like a minute or two out of every mile. Walk fast but not hard. The walking relieves some of the fatigue on the running muscles.

Why be nervous? It's not like you are in an airplane and will crash if you stop. If you stop running you can always walk in or get picked up by a stranger in a car and last be seen on your way to Venice Beach in California where you become a female bodybuilder.

Raider