I slept a little later than I should have, letting me only get in 1 mile before picking up my half-marathon training friend (I need a whole post dedicated to how excited I am to have a running buddy here now!) and I wasn't feel the love yet then either.
A mile or two later though, I was good to go. The weather was perfect-cloudy and a little cool. I got up to 8 with my friend and then did the last 10 by myself. I had 4 Chocolate Outrage GUs, ran by several people I know around town (including one of my students!), didn't wander onto any movie sets, and just generally had fun.
Overall, I was around a 10:30 pace. I don't really worry too much about speed. I've got too many benchmarks to reach at work and in school without making my runs some kind of additional pressure or worry. I was feeling so good at mile 17 though that I decided to try and push it that last mile.
I kinda had that crazy running lady thing going on. I may or not have been whimpering, emitting other strange noises when I hit an 8:00 pace. I was having a hard time keeping my eyes open- which was a strange phenomenon I've never experienced while running. (Has that ever happened to any of y'all?)
It was fun. All of the sudden I missed speedwork.
I stretched and used The Stick afterwards and was barely sore at all. Felt fine yesterday. I'm starting to think I might have just a little untapped speed in me!
It's a little late in the training cycle to really turn this into serious speed training for May, but I do hope to improve on my last marathon time a little. I just don't want to focus too much on speed and make myself miserable if I don't reach my goals. I've got more than enough stress in my life without self-inflicting more.
You, speedsters. How do you work on speed and not make it a chore?
Speed work is pretty much the only thing that makes a treadmill tolerable for me. But, I never follow any sort of regime. It's usually playing with how long I can run at ridiculously fast (To me) speeds. And, I don't do it often enough, boo me.
ReplyDeleteI'm with Rose....speed work is what gets me through boring runs on the mill!! I try to get at least 2 dedicated speed workouts and the other days are interval type runs. Otherwise the mill would bore me to death. I am there at 5am so there is no one to watch for entertainment!
ReplyDeleteI don't do realy speed work. But whenever i am on the treadmill, I would just try to run faster than the mile before etc.
ReplyDeleteKeep challenging yourself on the treadmill. :)
I think I want that Stick!
Speed work is fun...
ReplyDeleteSometimes focusing on speed steals all my joy. Then there are other times when I have to have it! Weird.
ReplyDeletePlease excuse my crudeness, but I consider my running, my extra-marital affair: I go off alone to do it and often experience orgasmic fits of joy!
Your extra marital affair should be all joy. If it's causing you grief, cut it loose! If the speed work is causing you stress, cut it out! Wait 'til you wanna do it.
I'm not taking time away from my family to do something that is making me feel like a failure! I'd rather be home making Rice Krispie Treats!
I gotta get that stick!
Oh, and I agree, treadmill running without speed work is just a midieval torture session. Skip the treadmill, too.
ReplyDeleteUghhh I hate speed work. My coach has me doing 25x 400 meters at a 2:10 cycle. Easily the hardest and least looked forward day of the week for me.
ReplyDelete