Speed Hurts

After the Ann Arbor marathon in early April, part of me wanted to keep up the consistency, but a bigger part of me decided to be lazy. In this case, lazy = 3-6 mile runs 4 times a week, with a 10-12 miler once a month. As though that monthly long run was doing anything for me...

By the time the heat & humidity came (who am I kidding it was already here in April) I was driving the struggle bus. In late June I started using my heart rate monitor again as my excuse to be slow and take walk breaks. Gotta stay in that fat burning zone amiright?

My fat-burning zone must be broken. It's all still here.

After about 6 weeks of "heart rate training" (that term is used very loosely) I bit the bullet and tried to exert myself on a run. It hurt.

August 3rd - 2 mile tempo run
Goal: I hope to God I can still run sub-8:00 miles.
Result: 7:51, 7:49

Hamstrings were not appreciative, but I survived.

It then took me 9 more days to convince myself I should do it again. This time, I hit up the track for some sprint repeats.

August 14th - 2's & 4's
3 sets of 200, 200, 400 with equal distance rest in between
Goal: 200's in 48, 400's in 96
Result: 200's avg 45.8, 400's avg 95.6

This was my first track run since February and my second time running hard (also probably since February) so I'm guesstimating at paces here. So far, I seem to be pretty good at guesstimating.

Since this workout fell right in the middle of the Olympics, I also attempted a 100m dash before cooling down.

Watch out Usain Bolt, it only took me 17 seconds.

August 16th - 3 mile tempo run
Goal: Can I possibly do 3 miles sub-8?
Result: 7:57, 7:51, 7:35

Either I super sandbagged or I was just really, really ready to be done. That third mile definitely hurt but I assumed it was because it was the third mile. I'm learning how difficult it is to run hard after a year of running not-hard.

August 20th - 1000s
1000m repeats are the worst idea ever. At least when you choose a loop that has a big ass hill for at least 500 of those meters. I went into this workout thinking I would do 10 repeats (aka 6.2 hard miles). Seems logical since I've done 3 miles hard right? Exactly. Needless to say I dialed it back to 6 (my legs wanted to stop at 4).
Goal: 4:43
Result: 4:44 average

This was hard. I blame the hill. And being out of speed-shape. And maybe a little on the 9358392% humidity. But, once again, I survived.

August 24th - 2s and 8s
4 sets of 200, 200, 800 with equal distance rest in between
Goal: 200's in 48, 800's in 3:12
Result: 200's avg 46, 800's avg 3:13

Distance is for the birds. 200's are my new favorite. Way less painful.

August 27th - 3 mile tempo run
Goal: Be more consistent than last time.
Result: 7:32.8, 7:32.6, 7:32.5

Consistency, check.

I equally like doing speed workouts on my normal running routes and the track. They finally started rubberizing the tracks where I live (why wasn't this done 20 years ago) but apparently that means they must also fence and lock the tracks. Does that mean I can opt out of the $$$ school taxes I pay? So annoying. When fence hurdling becomes an Olympic sport, you'll see me there.