Speedwork Wednesday

My training plan called for a 1 mile warm up run, then a mile at 10:15 pace, 1/2 mile recovery jog, another mile at 10:15 pace, 1/2 mile recovery jog, then a mile cool down run, totaling 5 miles.

I got up around 6:40, a little later than I hoped to get up, and headed out the door around 7 am. I walked a half mile for warm up and then starting running. As I began just walking, it seemed like everything hurt. My knees were complaining, my ankle hurt, my back even hurt. Thankfully the warm up walk helped get my body into groove. None of those things plagued me throughout the run. It was fairly humid out , so I was very thankful for a strong breeze. I did the warm up mile in 12 even.

Soon enough it was time for the speedwork. I find it hard to keep a steady rhythm but i just concentrated on keeping myself below 10:20 pace. I found myself quite often running in the 9 minute mile range, then the next thing I know im doing 11 again. The first fast mile was tough! I kept concetrating on that if I got to the end of the mile, I had a half mile recovery! I did that mile at 10:13 pace~! I allowed myself to walk up to a tenth of a mile during the recovery jog. I only needed .05 hundredth and then I started jogging again.

My 2nd fast mile came far sooner than I would have liked. It helped knowing though, that once that was over, I just had slow 1.5 miles to run home. I really wanted to do the 2nd mile of speedwork faster. My son was really happy that I was going to have to suffer the pain of repeat miles like he often has to during cross country season. They have to do each subsquent mile faster, so I was really hoping to do that as well. I came in at 10:07 -- woot -- faster than the first! I was extremely pleased with my pace mile times. I hit the mark and then some! Dont get me wrong, it was hard. I was breathing heavy and working really really hard. I was very surprised to find my average heart rate coming in at 154. I know during those speed segments, it was regularly over 160+.

This time, I took my full tenth of a mile walking during my recovery job. I wanted to get my breathing back under control and my heart rate down and I was tired! I found the last cool down mile the most challenging. Im not sure if it was that I was just ready to be done or what but I found it harder. It was a bit of the Dory mantra, just keep running, just keep running. My pace was all over the place but I ended up doing that mile in 12:10.

All in all, the 5 miles averaged out at a 11:31 pace. Ive run 29.1 miles this month so far. If I can keep up with my training plan, Im on pace for a record month of miles! Time will tell on that front!

Keep on running
Mrs. F