The plan

Pre-workout fuel: Slice of whole-wheat toast with Amish cherry jam and cup of half-caff coffee
Workout: Ran 6.92 miles in 1 hour, 1 minute and 24 seconds; average pace, 8:52. Super-quick upper body workout followed while watching "Teen Mom."

I have a plan. A plan to run a sub-2:00 half-marathon on Sept. 25. The plan might be from Runner's World but it's mine now.

Cue hysterical laughter.

The Runner's World plan features two quality workouts -- a pace workout and a long run -- and two to three shorter runs each week for 10 weeks. I began the pace workouts about a month ago, and I plan to continue those - sort of - as prescribed by the plan. However, I am adjusting the schedule to accommodate my recent half and reverse taper, as well as the weeks that feature five runs, including four straight days. I know that it will not work for me. At all.

So here's what I'm doing:

Week of Aug. 9: 4 miles on Tuesday; 6 miles w/4 @ 9:00 on Wednesday; 5 miles on Friday; 8-9 miles on Sunday.
Week of Aug 16: 4 miles on Tuesday; 3x1-mile repeats @ 8:20 on Wednesday; 5 miles on Friday; 9-10 miles on Sunday.
Week of Aug. 23: 4 miles on Tuesday; 6 miles w/ 4 @ 8:54 on Wednesday; 5 miles on Friday; 9-10 miles on Sunday.
Week of Aug. 30: 4 miles on Tuesday; 7 miles w/ 5 @ 9:00 on Wednesday; 5 miles on Friday; 10-11 miles on Sunday.
Week of Sept. 6: 4 miles on Tuesday; 4x1-mile repeats @ 8:15 on Wednesday; 5 miles on Friday; 11-12 miles on Sunday.
Week of Sept. 13: 4 miles on Tuesday; 7 miles w/5 @ 8:50 on Wednesday; 5 miles on Friday; 12-13 miles on Sunday.
Week of Sept. 20: 4 miles on Tuesday; 5 miles w/ 3 @ 8:54 on Wednesday; RACE DAY on Saturday.

I can't lie - some of those paces intimidate me. I was downright scared this morning when I set out for 6 miles with 4 miles at a 9:00 pace. I knew I shouldn't be - I practically ran 7 like that on Sunday. But it's like a test - you know you knew the information in study sessions but will you be able to pass the test?

Thankfully, today I did.

My breathing was labored, my Tempo shorts soaked through. There were points where I wondered whether I would make it, and I stopped each mile to take a breather. My splits? They were well under 9:00. My sub-goal pace could have affected my breathing and need for rest but I am inclined to blame the heat. Seriously, it was friggin' hot (as if I had to remind you) and the humidity was even worse. A friend on Daily Mile put it best, "Would have been only slightly less miserable if I'd been sitting in a sauna wrapped in a wool blanket."

Question of the day: Do you adjust training schedules to meet your needs?