Speed Workout
Because I wasn’t at work I got a run in on Friday. Don’t have any stats for it. It was just a little run up to Copperhill and back; about 3.5 miles. Didn’t wear a watch, don’t know how long I was gone or how fast I went. Saturday on the other hand was a speed workout, six miles total, five half-mile sprints with quarter mile rests in between. My prescribed speed was actually for 800 meters in 3:52, but it’s easier to just set up the watch at half miles. Don’t know if you guys have heard but it’s cold out here; lows in the low 20’s and highs in the low 50’s. When I got up to the track it was in the high 40’s and very windy.
Hit the track and started with my one mile warm-up. Took it nice and slow trying to get loose. Then I picked it up and did a 3:51 half mile. It was a push and the thought of four more heading into that wind on the back leg didn’t sound like fun. My rest lap was nice and slow, then I picked it up and knocked out a 3:53 half mile. That one actually felt a bit better, but the rest lap was a welcome relief. The next two half mile sprints came in at 3:53 as well, but each one was harder; and each time I needed that rest lap even more. My fifth and final half-mile sprint was the toughest by a measure of two fold, but I nailed it at 3:52 exactly.
I got two things from the workout. First, I felt great hitting such tight splits in such inhospitable conditions. Second, I can’t believe how fast you are John. It was all I could do to maintain a 7:45 min / mile pace for a stick’n half mile, and that’s a warm up for you.
Sorry I couldn’t stay on the phone last night after my call dropped. I had arrived at my bother’s house and had to be sociable. What was the determination about the best way to be nice to your knees? I’m luck. I rarely feel knee issues so I haven’t thought about it much. Except for a slight pulled calf I haven’t had any issues really except for chaffing, which is only an issue on long runs.
Hit the track and started with my one mile warm-up. Took it nice and slow trying to get loose. Then I picked it up and did a 3:51 half mile. It was a push and the thought of four more heading into that wind on the back leg didn’t sound like fun. My rest lap was nice and slow, then I picked it up and knocked out a 3:53 half mile. That one actually felt a bit better, but the rest lap was a welcome relief. The next two half mile sprints came in at 3:53 as well, but each one was harder; and each time I needed that rest lap even more. My fifth and final half-mile sprint was the toughest by a measure of two fold, but I nailed it at 3:52 exactly.
I got two things from the workout. First, I felt great hitting such tight splits in such inhospitable conditions. Second, I can’t believe how fast you are John. It was all I could do to maintain a 7:45 min / mile pace for a stick’n half mile, and that’s a warm up for you.
Sorry I couldn’t stay on the phone last night after my call dropped. I had arrived at my bother’s house and had to be sociable. What was the determination about the best way to be nice to your knees? I’m luck. I rarely feel knee issues so I haven’t thought about it much. Except for a slight pulled calf I haven’t had any issues really except for chaffing, which is only an issue on long runs.
posted by Jason Fletcher at 6:09 PM
1 Comments:
Hey guys. I've actually managed to get in two runs this week already. The first one was the same one that I have done before out by my house. I didn't take Brayden with me because he was out with Natalie at Caleb's doctors appointment. It had to be the prettiest run I have ever been on. There was a layer of ice about half an inch thick on everything. Wow is it pretty. The branches on the trees are by far the prettiest I have ever seen them, particulary one that has some little red berries on it. I will try to get some pictures this afternoon if I get home in time. It hasn't gotten warm enough to melt the ice yet so it still looks pretty awesome here. Anyway, I tried an experiment to see if my knee would hurt when I ran slower. My goal was to run 9:30 splits and I hit it pretty much right on as far as I can tell (without using Nike+ or GPS, just landmarks from the gmaps-pedometer route). My knee started to pull a little bit after about 20 minutes but never really got that bad. By the end my left calf was hurting a bit though (soleus, not gastrocnemius, odd).
Today I got out on the track and tried to do a version of Jason's speed workout. Basically I did 5.25 miles with a 9:27 average. After a quarter-mile warmup my first fast segment was a mile at 7:05 (desparately trying to break 7 but just can't quite do it) with 3:39 and 3:26 splits. I just about gave up at that point because my knee and calf were already hurting pretty badly but I decided to stop and stretch instead after doing a very slow lap (1/8 mile). I then finished out a slow half-mile at a 10:08 pace. I didn't quite have it in me to do another fast half after that though so I decided to pick it up half way and did a mile in 9 with 4:43 and 4:17 splits. Then I decided I wanted to pick it up again so I did a mile in 7:51 with 4:10 and 3:41 splits. At that point I was ready for a break so I did a half in 4:55 followed by a half in 3:38, a quarter in 2:27, and a quarter in 1:46.
It felt pretty good I guess, but my hardly scientific experiment probably indicates that short and fast even on a rubberized track really is harder on your joints than long and slow where smaller loads are on your joints for a much longer period of time. I really doubt that one day is a good indicator though, especially when they are only two days apart. Alright, enough for this time, I need to get back to work.
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