After a crap-tastic 10 miles on Saturday, I was surprised to wake up on Sunday feeling pretty damn good!
If I'm feeling pretty damn good, you know I'm doing speed work!
The weather was perfect- about 60-65 degrees with a little bit of wind. I fueled up with iced coffee and generic Cheerios. I actually ate two bowls! Maybe that's why my run went so well!?
Here's what I did:
Warm Up: 1.5 miles (My "la la la" pace here was about an 8:12. You see, I was feeling GOOD!)
1/4 mile on
1/4 mile off
1/2 mile on
1/4 mile off
3/4 mile on
1/2 mile off
1 mile on
1/2 mile off
3/4 mile on
1/4 mile off
1/2 mile on
1/4 mile off
1/4 mile on
1/2 mile off
I guess you could call it a ladder workout!?
My "ons" were <7 minute miles and my "offs" were whatever I wanted. My average pace ended up being 7:20! My route was relatively flat. There is a 1/2 mile loop in my neighborhood that only has a small incline at one part. Hey, it beats driving to a track!
The run went great! I only had a couple freak out moments where I was like, "Ugh this is getting hard!" I had to remind myself that DUH this is speed work, it is SUPPOSED TO BE HARD! After a couple particularly long sprints I was afraid I'd shit my pants. But I didn't, so that is good.
I went home and refueled with probably the healthiest thing I have refueled with in awhile: 3/4 c. oatmeal, 1/2 a scoop of protein powder, 1 peach, and 2 cans of lime seltzer water.
I was in a great mood after this workout! My knee/IT Band felt strong before, during, and after the run. But I did spend the rest of the day wondering why there seems to be no rhyme or reason for the days I feel great on a run and the days I feel crap-tastic. Maybe I will figure out a reason one of these days, but right now, I got nothin'!
Do you struggle to find rhyme or reason to your good days/bad days?
Way to go! An 8:12 la la la pace ... omg. You're going to fly at the half marathon in December.
ReplyDeleteI really think the good days / bad days in running are influenced by outside factors more than anything. Specifically if I got bad sleep or didn't fuel right, I'm almost guaranteed to have a bad run!
Sometimes I fly and sometimes 8:45s feel like an effort! I am so not consistent right now. I should make some mental notes of outside factors like you said. Maybe I can find a pattern.
DeleteI am so happy you did not shit your pants. ROFLMAO. I have had a couple close "fecal incidents" myself. Glad you had a great day.
ReplyDeletebakingrunner.blogspot.com
Hahaha I don't know what it is about speed workouts but they are fecal inducing. ;)
DeleteNice job!
ReplyDeleteWe always want to pinpoint a reason why we do or don't feel good but sometimes it really is just random. Our bodies are not machines - sometimes they just simply have on and off days. I try not to overthink it; when I've done something really egregious, like not sleeping or hydrating well enough or overtraining, I'll know. Otherwise I figure it's just not my day and move on. It happens.
Maybe the fact that you are still getting a routine back helps explain some of the inconsistency. I've had a similar experience as I get back into a routine - some days are great, some suck, and I can never really predict which will be which sometimes. I bet as you get into a rhythm you'll see more consistency.
That is a very good point! Going from summer schedule to actually WORKING all day could have something to do with it too! I'd like to think I'm invincible but I'm not.
DeleteI can't quit looking at your oatmeal breakfast. mmmmm, that is my favorite way to make it (w/ peaches). I have no rhyme or reason on my "good days" vs. "bad days". Sometimes if I am slower or it's tougher I will think about it for a few minutes after the run and then I really just completely forget it. I could not tell you my pace from Sunday's run and by tomorrow I will forget today's run.
ReplyDeleteI keep track for my wrap ups and now that I am trying to get back into things I am hoping to get into a groove but it seems like these days I either feel GREAT or CRAPPY. Which is weird. I could blame early mornings but some mornings I do feel good. :)
DeleteI LOVE THIS POST! Yay for your incredible speed session!! I am also loving your workout. I need that in my life. I have mile repeats on the schedule for Friday and I'm not sold on them. This might be what I do!! LOVE!!
ReplyDeleteCool if you do it I hope you like it! I am so fly by the seat of my pants these days that I didn't know what I was going to do until I did it. :)
DeleteHey, I've been running for a zillion years and I am here to tell you that there is ZERO rhyme or reason. I can run hungover, after puking, with no fuel and have the run of my life and then I can run after a great sleep, proper fuel and lots of hydration and have tanker trucks for legs. SO WEIRD. It makes us human, I guess. Glad you had such a great run and I think "la la la" pace is my favourite pace description yet!
ReplyDeleteWell that makes me feel a little better that I am not weird to have no rhyme or reason to when I feel good and when I feel bad!
DeleteI like "la la la" as a pace description too because everyone gets exactly what it means!
love it!! I love when the run just comes together like that. when it is hard work but feels soooo good. i need one of those runs soon hahaha
ReplyDeletewww.slowandsteadykandm.com
Ooh girl i hope you get it!
DeleteAmazing job! I love when runs go well like that. There are many times when I have no idea why a run went well or not well...I've learned to not really question it, especially when it works in my favor!
ReplyDeleteThanks Lisa. :) I don't mind when they go well, but when they suck for what seems like no reason it ticks me off!
DeleteCheerios are definitely magic run food! I'm a little obssessed these days! Nice job on your speedwork!
ReplyDeleteThanks, friend :)
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