Running progress

Runs are productive once again. The trick was figuring out how to squeeze in a running plan that accomodates 18-credit hours of schooling and a 20-hour-a-week job, yet wind up with performance levels that I could also live with.
My goal is about ten miles per week (3.5 miles x 3 days for two weeks, a 3d week of 3 miles x 3, and repeat). During the two 3.5-mile-weeks, one of those runs will be fairly easy. The middle one will be a fartlek type run (3 minutes easy, 3 hard, 3 jog, 1 walk; and repeat). That idea came from Runner's World Magazine, and it's very similar to what I already discovered was a workable plan. And on Fridays I plan a celebratory run -- long, slow, easy. I'd like some of those to be as long as six miles, maybe even eight by spring.
After a one-month trial, Monday's run proved this plan to be reasonable and productive. It was windy, cold and spitting snow when Bart and I took off. But we warmed up fairly quickly. Then I uncovered my face and let the brisk wind cool off my pressure-heated emotions. My legs felt loose. My breathing was controllable. It really felt good. And I went farther in 30 minutes than I had all fall. Today my lungs felt loose and easy. Work and studying was unusually productive.
Ah yes...once again the runs are cleansing and healing. And I'm looking forward to tomorrow's run. Bart's been tired this week, so I'm planning to go solo.