Less than 5 weeks to the TCS New York City Marathon: Last week's training

I had a down week in terms of volume planned for last week, and with long workouts Wednesday and Sunday, I didn't have much room for easy running in between. Both workouts went well though, so I suppose the rest paid off. Now I'm ready for a few more weeks in the 110 range over a 6 day training period. That will be as high as I get this training block in order to ensure the end of my injury cycle. I am banking on the last decade of high volume to carry me through on strength and allow myself to focus on the quality of a couple hard sessions per week. 

The Wednesday workout surprised me a bit. I have done this 4 mile, 3 mile, 2 mile, 1 mile breakdown during most marathon blocks in the past, but I believe this was the best overall average to date. To be running some of my best threshold workouts while getting in long, hilly, grueling long runs should put me in position to have my best New York race to date. A month is still plenty of time to get hurt, however, so I have to keep plugging away without overdoing it. My two most challenging long runs of the training block are coming up over the next two weeks. If they go well, I will have all the confidence I need for November 6th. 

Thanks again for reading, and feel free to check out last week's training below. 

Weeks to go: 5	AM	PM	Strength	Mileage
Monday	80 minutes aqua jogging	off	1 hour	0
Tuesday	11.5	5.5 + drills and strides		17
Wednesday	4 mi, 3 mi, 2 mi 1 mi @ 18:54, 14:07, 9:20, 4:39	40 minutes elliptical	40 minutes	16
Thursday	10	off		10
Friday	12	8 x 200 meter hills		18
Saturday	8	1 hour aqua jogging	40 minutes	8
Sunday	23 miles, hilly Fairmount loop, 18-22 @ 4:57, 5:32 overall average	off		23
TOTAL				92