Training Plan Review and Race Planning

With a mere 6 days to go until my goal race ( Alberta Jeep Dealers Half Marathon) I thought it might be useful to review my goals and evaluate my training for the race.

I have been following Hal Higdon's Intermediate Half Marathon plan. For my previous half (in January) I had followed a plan out of The Running Room's Book on Running which uses a 10:1 run:walk. This time I have been doing straight running, although on long runs outside I have been walking for about 30 seconds every 15 minutes to drink.

My goal for this half was to finish under 2 hours. I set my training paces based on that goal using MacMillan's Running Calculator. My training paces were:
Long Runs - 10:55/mile (treadmill) 10:00-11:00/mile (outside)
General Runs - 10:10/mile
Race Pace - 9:10-9:14/mile
10K Pace - 8:42/mile
5K Pace - 8:20/mile

One thing I like about Higdon's plan is that you are running at goal race pace almost every week. I really feel like it is a confidence boost when you can accomplish these runs. (The training for my previous half introduced faster running only in the last few weeks, and although I had been able to complete the rest of the runs, those speed sessions were a failure)

For the stretch and strength portion of the plan, I have been doing a pilates DVD which is about 30 minutes long. I have enjoyed this, and do believe it has increased my core strength.

So, with cautious optimism I present my goals for the race:
C Goal - new PR (less than 2:11:49) - maybe it wasn't my day, but it's ok
B Goal - under 2:00:00 - where all my training has paid off
A Goal - under 1:57:50 (less than 9:00/mile) - wow, I'm on fire!

Of course I will post a race report on Sunday or Monday after it's all done.