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Tuesday, September 15, 2015

Sunday Speed!

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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?

18 comments:

  1. Way to go! An 8:12 la la la pace ... omg. You're going to fly at the half marathon in December.

    I 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!

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    1. 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.

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  2. I 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.
    bakingrunner.blogspot.com

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    1. Hahaha I don't know what it is about speed workouts but they are fecal inducing. ;)

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  3. Nice job!

    We 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.

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    1. 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.

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  4. I 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.

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    1. I 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. :)

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  5. I 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!!

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    1. Cool 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. :)

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  6. Hey, 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!

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    1. Well 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!

      I like "la la la" as a pace description too because everyone gets exactly what it means!

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  7. 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

    www.slowandsteadykandm.com

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  8. Amazing 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!

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    1. Thanks Lisa. :) I don't mind when they go well, but when they suck for what seems like no reason it ticks me off!

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  9. Cheerios are definitely magic run food! I'm a little obssessed these days! Nice job on your speedwork!

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