Coming off an exciting performance last weekend, I knew the week to follow would be tricky. I would somehow have to balance the enthusiasm and confidence I took away from that race with still being smart about my running. My first run of the week was intervals, and I started the workout with legs that felt a bit heavy and tired. Since I've been working hard to regain the ability to feel my pace, I decided to just run hard - but not all out - and see what time showed up on my watch.
Tuesday's task: 4 x 1000m @4:20 (1 mi w/u and c/d, 400m RI)
Tuesday's outcome: 4:21, 4:07, 4:10, 4:17
The first 1000 felt great, and after walking the 400m rest interval, I attacked the next 1000. It definitely felt harder, so I was glad to see that show up in the numbers on the clock, but was a little annoyed with myself for the big discrepancy. I was happy that I now had some wiggle room to slow down a little, which I did, but not as much as I should have. I tend to talk to myself a lot when I run, especially when things get tough, and I was trying my best to convince myself I had one more good 1000 left in my legs. I caught my breath during that last rest interval, then stared down the path toward the end of that last 1000. Somewhere around 400m, it felt as though the wheels were about to come off. My form felt loosey goosey, and I had to really focus on keeping my core tight and using my arms efficiently as opposed to flailing them helplessly. I could feel myself slow down to regain good form, but I finished strong and somehow still just under my target pace. I ended that run with a nice easy cool down, feeling like I had pushed with appropriate intensity, recognized when my form was starting to fall apart, and made the necessary adjustments to stay on track.
Thursday's run was a tempo, and with the girls having a half day of school, I made the executive decision to push Camryn in the stroller before she got on the bus. I was pretty certain I wouldn't be able to hit my target pace, but I would base this run on effort instead of time...anyone who has ever pushed a jogging stroller knows how much effort it takes!
Thursday's task: 1 mi easy, 3 mi @7:41, 1 mi easy
Thursday's outcome: 9:17, 7:52, 7:50, 7:48, 8:47*
*Pushing the stroller means having the luxury of my phone without the hassle of holding it. Love being able to see my splits!
The old me would have run before the sun to avoid pushing the stroller and risk not hitting my pace. The new and improved version is making early morning strength training just as important as my run and understanding that a good, solid effort is just as good as being on target with time goals, and getting Camryn out in the fresh air was a nice little bonus. The relative consistency of that tempo run is a reassuring sign that I'm starting to get the hang of this running thing again.
By Thursday night, my body felt worn out. Although it's still be a struggle to get up most mornings (my poor snooze button), I feel myself looking forward to Friday yoga more than ever. And to think when we first started P90X, Ryan and I would skip yoga every week! I love yoga any day of the week, but it seems that doing it on Fridays helps ease all the tension that has built during the week's tough strength and speed sessions and makes my body feel ready to tackle Saturday's long run.
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Speaking of Saturday's long run, this past week was a post-injury first for me - 7 miles. Gasp! I felt excited and of course a little nervous to attempt a distance I haven't done in months. My training plan called for an 8:11 pace, but I decided to run however I felt like running, pace be damned. I wore my watch only to see if I'd be able to feel my pace when all was said and done, and I didn't look at it once during those 7 miles. I had a feeling I would end up in the neighborhood of 8:30, and when I got back home and stopped my watch, I saw this:
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It took me an hour and twelve minutes to run 7 miles??? That put me at a 10+ minute pace! I know I've struggled with feeling my pace lately, but that certainly did not feel like 10+. I had 11+ minutes on the watch from a previous run...did I forget to reset? I could have sworn I reset the dang watch, but subtracting 11 minutes would have made more sense. I stretched for a solid 15 minutes after that run, all the while trying to figure out if I really ran 2 minutes/mile slower than my training plan called for. Was my brain so disconnected from my body that I couldn't tell I was running 2 minutes/mile slower during that run??? I was in a state of disbelief, wondering what on earth just happened, and then the light bulb turned on. See that 1 in the top right corner of the display? Yeah, that's an hour. The rest is minutes and seconds. So my time was really 1:01:12. My pace was really 8:37. And all was right with the world.
I am excited about the growth I'm noticing within myself as a runner. While I still like to be aware of the numbers, it's more to see if my body and my brain are in sync than it is about going faster than I did the last time. Just a few months ago, I couldn't run one minute and twelve seconds without pain, and now I'm running over an hour and feeling great. I'm thrilled to be gradually adding on some distance to my long runs, and I'm grateful my body has responded well so far. Staying healthy and actually enjoying my runs are my top priorities.
After the morning I had today when nothing seemed to go my way, I was concerned I may not be in line with my priorities - for no good reason, I was certain my luck with the intervals I had planned would be as lousy as the rest of the morning. It was a picture perfect day, but there were bad omens everywhere I looked. A dead bunny on the side of the road. A 1/4 mile stretch that literally smelled like shit. An ambulance coming my way. Two vultures on a rooftop, staring down at me and making the most terrifying noises. I managed to convince myself they were distant relatives of those magpies that swoop and peck people's heads in Australia and were ready to have their way with my skull. Once I got past them with head still attached to my neck, I finally saw a good omen...at least a half dozen bluebirds flying around the crepe myrtles I was running past. Now clearly I have a bit of a fear of birds (totally justifiable, in my humble opinion!), but these brightly hued little critters reminded me of Peggy and brought a smile to my face.
Today's task: 1600 @7:08, 1200 @5:15, 800 @3:26, 400 @1:41 (1 mile w/u, 1 mile c/d, 400m RI)
Today's outcome: 1600 @6:41, 122 @5:05, 800 @3:17, 400 @1:53* (walked 400 RI)
*Not sure why the 400 was so far off when I came in under on all the other distances, but it was still a solid run and I'll take it!
This week's tempo is a doozie - 7 miles total, alternating between slow and fast every mile. I haven't decided when or where I'll do it, but I'm excited to see if these legs are up for the challenge.
I am excited about the growth I'm noticing within myself as a runner. While I still like to be aware of the numbers, it's more to see if my body and my brain are in sync than it is about going faster than I did the last time. Just a few months ago, I couldn't run one minute and twelve seconds without pain, and now I'm running over an hour and feeling great. I'm thrilled to be gradually adding on some distance to my long runs, and I'm grateful my body has responded well so far. Staying healthy and actually enjoying my runs are my top priorities.
After the morning I had today when nothing seemed to go my way, I was concerned I may not be in line with my priorities - for no good reason, I was certain my luck with the intervals I had planned would be as lousy as the rest of the morning. It was a picture perfect day, but there were bad omens everywhere I looked. A dead bunny on the side of the road. A 1/4 mile stretch that literally smelled like shit. An ambulance coming my way. Two vultures on a rooftop, staring down at me and making the most terrifying noises. I managed to convince myself they were distant relatives of those magpies that swoop and peck people's heads in Australia and were ready to have their way with my skull. Once I got past them with head still attached to my neck, I finally saw a good omen...at least a half dozen bluebirds flying around the crepe myrtles I was running past. Now clearly I have a bit of a fear of birds (totally justifiable, in my humble opinion!), but these brightly hued little critters reminded me of Peggy and brought a smile to my face.
Today's task: 1600 @7:08, 1200 @5:15, 800 @3:26, 400 @1:41 (1 mile w/u, 1 mile c/d, 400m RI)
Today's outcome: 1600 @6:41, 122 @5:05, 800 @3:17, 400 @1:53* (walked 400 RI)
*Not sure why the 400 was so far off when I came in under on all the other distances, but it was still a solid run and I'll take it!
This week's tempo is a doozie - 7 miles total, alternating between slow and fast every mile. I haven't decided when or where I'll do it, but I'm excited to see if these legs are up for the challenge.
Ha. I am compelled to comment simply "You're, like, so fast..." but I need to set the scene. Imagine you are a teenage girl that spent hours on your hair and picking out an outfit and all I said was "You're, like, so hot." :) HAHA. I applaud all of your hard work and the thought process that goes into getting there... but still, my takeway is "damn. Fast. And with the stroller!" :)
ReplyDeleteHa ha...I appreciate your applause (and metaphor). And by the same token, I have a friend whose half marathon pace is the same as my fastest mile ever. She's, like, so fast.
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