On Thursday morning, I had a lovely speed session scheduled. When I woke up, my alarm hadn't gone off yet but it was set for 5:15. I had no clue what time I was. I hoped it was 3:30... even 4:30... and I'd have at least a little more time to sleep. I looked at my phone. It was 5:14.
F%$&!
Oh well, up and at 'em, right?
As I drove to the gym, I still wasn't sure what to do. I think technically I should have done 800s because I have been alternating 400s and 800s and this was an 800s week, buuuut... I was scared. I was in this mindset that if I did 800s again, I was either going to have to do them faster than last week or do more intervals. Last week's workout was really hard, and it was daunting to think about increasing the pace or mileage. So I chickened out and did a completely different workout I made up off the top of my head.
I hopped on the treadmill and started my 2 mile warm up. It was so freaking hot.. hotter than I remember. Does Planet Fitness not have A/C? I think I am going to inquire soon.
All I could think about during my hot, stuffy warm up was the episode of Survivor we watched the night before. One of the contestants was evacuated via helicopter because he was suffering from heatstroke. It was a very scary episode to watch and that was definitely on my mind as I slogged through the stuffy air. I cah be a drama queen sometimes.
Luckily my body temperature regulated itself, and while I was hot during the entire workout, I was the hottest right in the beginning. As usual, my clothes were soaked through and sweat was dripping off my shorts by the end of the workout. I chaffed in lots of nice places that I can't show you.
Okay, this is the workout I did. You may have seen it on my Weekly Workout Recap on Saturday.
Warm Up:
2 miles @ 8:34
Intervals:
400 @ 6:30
800 @ 6:41
1200 @ 6:49
1 mile @ 7: 00
1.25 miles @ 7:08
1.5 miles @ 7:18
Cool Down:
1.5 miles @ 8:34
I know the pace seems random, but as I added a quarter mile to each interval, I decreased the speed on the treadmill by .2
After each interval, I did a 400 recovery @ 8:34 pace. I am most proud of keeping my recoveries to a 400 and not increasing them as the distance of the interval increased. Believe me, I wanted more time to recover!
I did 10 miles total! I wanted to stop at 9 but I was determined to make it to 40 miles for the week. And I did!
As I cooled down, I listened to some ABBA. Super Trooper came on. Dang, I love that song. For some reason, it got my mind thinking about how grateful I am to be able to run. I have two working legs and the motivation to get out of bed in the morning. I have the heart to keep going when workouts are tough. Sometimes I wish I had more courage, but I'm working on that one.
Then I started to do something that I sometimes find myself doing at the end of a workout. I go through sort of a running "Highlight Reel" in my head. I think about all the incredible running and race experiences I have had. I don't even try to do this, my brain just does it. And I don't think of the same experiences all the time. Sometimes I randomly think of things I forgot about and it makes me happy all over again. But there are certain things that pop up each time. That's another blog for another day.
Dang, why did Super Trooper make me all nostalgic? Endorpins + ABBA = Nostalgic Megan!
Basically, a hard workout like this makes me feel not only grateful, but confident that I can take on whatever the day throws my way.
What would you call that workout I did? A ladder?
Do you watch Survivor? What did you think of that Medevac???
That is one helluva pace ladder! You are so right to feel confident after that sucker. I coach my clients to do this very thing: create a mental highlight reel. It's a wonderful tool!
ReplyDeleteIt is! And it makes me so happy. :)
DeleteNice job!!! That is a fantastic workout. I LOVE when I can get my track workouts in before work but as a HS teacher, the only time that happens is if we happen to have a 2 hr delay - I have to be at work by 7am, and my gym only opens at 5am. Maybe if I finally buy a treadmill of my own... :) :) Funny, I ran 10 yesterday and at the conclusion of the run, I was thinking about how lucky I am to be able to run. Must be the theme of the past week or so!!!
ReplyDeleteUgh 7am is soooo early to be at work! If you started at 8 would you prefer to change your runs to mornings or do you think you would still do them after work? I often wondered how you could fit so much in after work but it makes sense- you start an hour earlier than most of us so you end an hour earlier too!
DeleteSuper Trooper isn't even a song that I can remember, but I guess I should look it up! That's a great workout and it sounds exhausting. My speedwork has been pretty lame this cycle. I'm too afraid of hurting myself!
ReplyDeleteSurvivor was pretty intense! I kept saying "good job Jeff, you're killing them all!"
My heart was beating so hard the entire episode!
DeleteWhen you hear Super Trooper you are going to laugh. :)
You seriously need to get the gym to turn the damn heat down! I love that workout! Very clever, sounds tough especially at 5am. YIKES. Must have felt great to get it done and over with so early though.
ReplyDeleteI know. I am wondering if maybe it is an issue like we have at our school... sometimes it gets warm outside before the A/C is programmed to come on. Something like that. And then we're roasting!
DeleteIt did feel great to be done with that! I really just don't have any motivation to workout after work.
Oh I love when I randomly think of thing like "a highlight reel" during a run. It's so motivating!
ReplyDeleteIt is!!! :)
DeleteHahahha will you call my Planet Fitness for me???
ReplyDeleteI def go to the highlight reel at the end of races. It's an instant pick me upper and also makes me think of my husband and how he's been there for me the entire way. He's my biggest motivator :)
ReplyDeleteAwww that is so sweet! :)
DeleteI noticed during the weekend how stuffy my gym is too. The a/c was definitely blasting, but it's just weird to not feel any wind!
ReplyDeleteThat workout sounds awesome but also like it requires a lot of math! Having to keep track of each interval when the interval lengths keep changing is too complicated for me, especially during a speedwork session! Sad but true! I'd be like, wait, do I start my recovery at 2.25 or 2.5 or 2.75? Oy! hahaha So sad!
I definitely understand that! I would never do this on the road. And I'd never do it if I didn't feel like being distracted by doing math- which of course sometimes is a GOOD thing! I totally pulled this out of my butt.
DeleteYou ran 10 miles on the treadmill!? That's amazing! One of the reasons I dislike running on the treadmill at the gym is because of how hot it always is. It makes me feel sort of nauseous .
ReplyDeleteGirl, training for this 10 miler and half marathon has turned me into a whole new person who runs 8-10 miles of speed training on the 'mill weekly!
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