It's all relative

Mike, I think 85-90 miles is plenty. I think there is progress to be made by running more, but it has to be weighed against exhaustion, life, injury, etc. Unless you're base building, you want to be able to put in quality workouts too, and high mileage can work against that.

Stepping back, I watched you improve rapidly over the last couple years (um right? time flies) and I think the biggest factor was the consistent hard work you put in. You ran a lot, and did a lot of track workouts and long runs. That's a recipe for getting fast. I think the exact type of workouts and paces is good to think about, but the much bigger picture is your approach.

I think you already have it right. You've been smart to get involved in a lot of local running groups. That helps to stay motivated. I think the most important thing is to set the stage for solid training like you've done in a way that's sustainable (I'm trying to apply this to myself).

It is tough when a lot of effort goes into running, and progress isn't immediately apparent, or worse, you deal with injury, etc. There is always a turnaround out there though. I completely believe that.

Sorry if all of that is general & vague instead of addressing your specific thoughts. You are one of the smartest people with your training that I run with, so I have no doubt you'll adjust your mileage and workouts appropriately. And I have no doubt you'll continue to get faster and put me in the rearview mirror. :)

I formally disagree with the final sentence, but I do think we can get much faster this year. I appreciate the words! Have fun this weekend. I hope she gets her goal!