Drinking the Kool Aide

So I've been bouncing along on my own program (4 miles every other day for a week after the medicinal runs, bump up to 5 miles and then jump into a marathon training program - Hal's, natch, Novice 2) and getting my ego stroked with multiple longer (to me) runs (8, 8, 9, 9) and dropping my average pace (9:40mm last 5K - still can't commit to metric 100%) but starting to get niggings of patellofemoral syndrome and plantar fasciitis. Hmmm... As if the calf wasn't enough. So I stopped going around barefoot (for PT) and iced the heels after each run and the PF pretty much went away until my last 9 mile run. Hmmmm... The PFS seems to ebb and flow so I just kind of kept it in the back of my head and started looking around the web.

and I found the Kool Aid.

So last week I jumped into the first week (supposed to be 2-4-2-4-2-0-6 and instead went 0-3-3-3-4-0- and today should be 6. AND I'm dropping my speed. I was holding 10:00 mm pretty easily for 4-5 mile runs but according to the Kool Aid and McMillan, my recovery (MWF) runs should be crushingly slow at 12:18-12:48 (have not yet been able to run that slow), long runs 11:18 to 12:18 (I am pretty sure I can do that) and easy runs (TTh) 11:18 to 11:48 (again, might be able to bring the pace under 11:18 but it is not easy to run that slow). My ego has taken a HUGE hit from running 10:00 to trying for 11:00. But I'm looking long term now and if I manage to get to the end of the year without injury I'll be a total convert. And it does make sense - I've been pushing my ligaments prolly before they were ready (post injury) and I'm hoping this might do the trick.