Tempo interval run

I am sure you have read about the benefits of doing both tempo and interval runs. Intervals work your heart by increasing your heart rate for sprints and then recovering with cool downs, then repeat. Tempos strengthen your stamina by getting your heart, body and mind used to increased effort over an extended period of time. But which to do? Which is better? The answer of course is do both, preferably with a recovery day in between. All fine and dandy if you have three days! So my new answer is to combien the two (absolutely no scientific basis for this!) getting the benefit of 72 hours of running combined into a one hour run!

Like I said, I have no scientific basis for the benefits of doing a tempo interval and in fact I have only done it once on my run today. But buy my new book and workout plan today and become the runner that wins gold in the Olympics! Only $19.99 comes with a water bottle and free iphone/android ap that doesn’t work.

But seriously that today I ran a tempo/interval run. I did about a mile of block long intervals sandwiched by two sort tempo runs, and I did it all under 10 min miles. It felt pretty good, definitely feels like more effort than a normal run of equal distance. I think I’ll do it again at some point. The block long intervals were a bit longer than my normal interval trac workout (straights and curves) and it was a bit of an effort to keep up the sprint for the full blocks (longer blocks than normal too!) I did them along the reedway park strip, next time I think I’ll go back as well.

Three solid days of running

Three good runs, all sort of different. The distances were all the same, each around 6 and a quarter miles. But each had their own focus.

The run on Tuesday was a pretty standard junk run. It was cool out and I didn’t even bring water with me. My pace was pretty slow, I think I was considering it sort of a recovery from a tempo run I did on Saturday. It was a pretty nothing run, but six miles none the less.

Wednesday was a day at the track. A two mile warm up brought me to the track. I had been talking to a friend about different types of interval workouts. One of the was a ladder workout and I was thinking I had never done that before. So I tried it. The first lap consisted of two straights and curves. Got my HR jump started. Next came two 220s followed each by another 220 of recovery for what was now 3 laps total. Then the top of the ladder, two 440s followed by 220 recovery. Total lap count now is at 6. Then back down the ladder for three more laps. A tenth made for a last lap of recovery before I headed off another mile and a half to Trader Joes.

This was a tough workout and several times I felt like passing out, especially after the 220s. I ran the 440 intervals not too fast, but the first 220s I worked it pretty hard. It was kind of cool, but several of the other runners joined me in doing there own intervals. Kind of fun having all of us doing them.

Today’s run was sort of a recovery run, though I didn’t try too hard to stay under 144. My avg was 148 as opposed to 141 on Tuesday. So maybe that was the true recovery and this was more junk.

The thing about these three runs was that they all followed the easy-hard-easy pattern that seems to work so well. So I guess that means I am up for a hard run tomorrow. I am sort of feeling like a LSD run would be really good for me. we’ll see. Hills sounds pretty good also.

Yesterday at the track, today rest

Yesterday before procrastination set in . I wanted to wait for the sun to burn off clouds before I left but I I layered up and headed out into the cold fog On the way after a mile and a half the sun broke through. It quickly got warm and I tied my jacket around my waist. As I neared the track I saw a couple of runners doing their rounds, I filed in behind them. One of them was going really fast, though I did get to pass him on a straight. He returned the favor several times passing me effortlessly.

My workout felt good. I did 2 miles of straights & curves which worked out to 16 HR intervals for the sprints on the straights. I did them all strong up to the last lap (though I was fading at the end). My HR was pretty high for the intervals but I was able to get it down to 144ish on the way back. I ran the canyon hoping for no mud. There wasn’t much on the trails, pretty dry for the most part.

Oh, I almost forgot. I wore my other new pair of shoes for the run (Asics gel kayano 16), again breaking the golden rule of doing a short break-in run first. They were also 2E, which I have never done before. I always thought I might want to try a wide shoe thinking my feet might like the extra room (especially on the side I wear my lift). They were actually reasonably snug and I think I like the wider shoe so far.

I had lots of work today and it just made sense. Made it a rest day. My mileage is pretty high for the week already – 18 mi. I’ll do at least 14 more before Sunday is done.

Track work

Visitors in town last week brought on a four day layoff from running. While I blame them, really it was just a convenient excuse to postpone making the switch to early morning heat avoidance runs. Seriously my laziness is getting out of hand! I’ll get in the groove of it, I just need to commit to setting my alarm and dragging my butt out of bed. So today was a start. I didn’t set the alarm but I let the sun wake me up instead. I had committed last night to doing a quality run of some sort, so I rolled out of bed and got ready.

The track was relatively empty this morning so I had my choice of lanes. I like to start on the outside and make my way toward the inner lane, changing lanes every lap as a way to keep count. Seems to work out well. I manage to do three miles of straights and curves with a 2.25 mi warm up and 3.25 on the back end. It was really cool this morning and it made for a great run. Now I just need to keep up with these morning runs.

I also think I would like to do an occasional hot daytime run, maybe even schedule one in every week. As long as I keep hydrated I think I would see some benefit form doing it.

Full week of running

So far this week I have run every day. Today I went to the track to run 440s. When I first got there the place was empty, just like I like it. But it soon filled up with quite a good amount of folks. I wasn’t feeling all that energetic despite downing a gel as I got to the track. I was running a pretty good pace (sub 7 min miles) for the first several 440s which I separated with a recovery 220 that managed to get my HR down into the 140s. After five 440s I decided to call it a day and head home. As I ran through the Reed campus I decided to head to their pathway and add a couple more 440s in. So all in all I did seven of them today. I was greatly aided by some cool weather we have been having. Soon I am going to have to start getting up early again which won’t be a totally bad thing. I am making no promises for tomorrow, but a nice recovery run would be a perfect cap on the work week. Not sure what I am going to do for a long run this week. Maybe busing up to Duniway track and heading up the hill would be good.

Intervals at the track

By the time I got around to going running today it was past noon and really muggy. After last nights long run in the rain I was still pretty tired and I started out at a slow pace. Just outside the track I gobbled a gel I had in my water pack. The track was crowded, mostly the high school track team and or possibly just PE. It was hard to tell. I figured this a good place to yell “track” when they were all gathered in a big group in the lanes. Nobody listened to me, but I think the teacher explained it to them after I passed as the next time around they were clear. There was a good sized group running a pretty good pace. We didn’t run into each other too much as I would pull ahead on the straights and they would catch up on the curves, they passed me a couple of times though. All in all I did seven laps, or 14 strs and crvs. I wanted to do 8-10 laps, but this was enough and I was really feeling the muggy heat.

I think I am going to try for another 40 mile week. For my long run I think I will go to this place I found on Google maps. It is a development, might be gated that surrounds a lake. I have gone bu the area many times and never knew there was a lake. It is nine miles+, and I think I may add some miles on. OR I also want to do a run down to Milwaukee, I guess run the downtown area and then back. That will more than likely be further which will be better for my mileage. If I am increasing by 10% I can do 44 this week, not that I am increasing my mileage, 30 – 40 is good for now.

440 interval workout

Today I did one of the more difficult workouts that I ever do, the dreaded 440 interval workout! As part of my efforts to add more quality runs alternating with recovery runs, I headed to the track this morning. I have been somewhat lame this week and took the last two days off, so a tough run was in the stars for me. As I headed down the street for the track, I remembered I had to send a next day air letter out today so I headed back, grabbed the envelope and sped off toward s the UPS store. This added some steps to my run, but essentially it was equivalent to my normal route to the track, only backwards.

Right from the start my HR was pretty high, but so was my pace. I had a good wind at my back so that was helping. It really wasn’t the sort of gradual warm up that I had intended to begin with. But the temp was cool and I figured if I got the HR up before I got to the track that would be ok, basically like doing another set of intervals, just not as structured. I was a little concerned with being to tired to do a full set of six 440s, but I was willing to be flexible.

The track was empty except for a couple of walkers and runners. I did some additional warm-up and then picked up my pace for the first 440. I didn’t go all out like I do on the straights and curves, after all I had to do a full lap for my 440, but I got it going pretty well. Turned out I spent most of my time right around 7 minute miles, sometimes less, more often closer to 7:30, but a good pace none the less. My HR on the intervals got up around 180 or so at first, then down to 150 or so on my 220 recovery. That was basically my pattern, full lap of 85-95%+ and then a half lap of recovery with the goal of bring my HR down as much as possible.

The max heart rate that I have been working with is 184. I got this number from a formula (205-(age/2)) that is supposedly reasonably accurate for most people with the caveat that I might discover changes in that over time. The highest I have ever seen my HR has been 183. Even though I felt I wasn’t really going all out when I saw it, I know I couldn’t keep that up for long. When I saw it the first time during the Shamrock Run it sort of freaked me out a bit, especially since I was feeling sick then. So, I have always wondered if 183 was my actual max. Today I saw 186 twice on the intervals, so I am going to have to say “NO” to 183. Even at 186 I still felt I could give more and that is what the max is all about. Still makes me a little concerned to be working so hard at such a hard level. The ghost of my  father who had heart trouble follows me even though he was over weight and definitely not a runner. But genes are genes. I had taken a half an aspirin beforehand, so that always makes me feel more confident that I am not going to die! Also, I hear in teh news that I can now eat a small amount of dark chocolate once a day as medicine for my heart and stroke prevention. Sounds good to me!

Track work

Wow, what a beautiful warm day. I decided to head over to the track and run some 440 intervals which I have never done before. My plan was to do 440 at a just below all out, slower than I do my straights and curves. The I would cool down for 220 and start over again. I had it in my plan to do six of them and see where I was. So after 2 and a quart mile fast warm up I jumped in. I of course started too fast which is typical for me if there are people at the track. Slower runners don’t phase me, but the damn long legged sprinters really bring it out in me. Especially when they are cute and compliment me on my pace!

So my third and fourth 440s turned out to be slower and the fifth was downright plodding. So when I cam around for the start of the sixth I said “aw forget it” and just did a lap to cool down a bit before I headed back for the 2.5 mi return. With a wave from my sprinter friend I head off the track and on my way home.

The last 2.5 I kept a reasonable pace up, the HR was pretty steady and high until the last mile or so when I slowed to a crawl to really cool down. Great run all in all.

Track work

Wow, what a beautiful warm day. I decided to head over to the track and run some 440 intervals which I have never done before. My plan was to do 440 at a just below all out, slower than I do my straights and curves. The I would cool down for 220 and start over again. I had it in my plan to do six of them and see where I was. So after 2 and a quart mile fast warm up I jumped in. I of course started too fast which is typical for me if there are people at the track. Slower runners don’t phase me, but the damn long legged sprinters really bring it out in me. Especially when they are cute and compliment me on my pace!

So my third and fourth 440s turned out to be slower and the fifth was downright plodding. So when I cam around for the start of the sixth I said “aw forget it” and just did a lap to cool down a bit before I headed back for the 2.5 mi return. With a wave from my sprinter friend I head off the track and on my way home.

The last 2.5 I kept a reasonable pace up, the HR was pretty steady and high until the last mile or so when I slowed to a crawl to really cool down. Great run all in all.