Experimentation

Saturday was my long run day.  I had been sick this week from the stress of the last month, and just dog tired!  I really wasn't looking forward to it, and glad to have a training partner to run with.  Then at 10:00 I got the text, "I'm sick, not going to make it."  Re-group.


It was cold and I was tired, so I slept in.  I got up at 7:00 and made it out the door by 8:30, I was feeling pretty confident until I ran that first mile.  I could feel my shoulders aching, and I knew I was tired.  I checked my pace and my pace was fine, but a little fast.  I tried to slow it down a bit, but the pace crept back down to a 9:10.  My goal pace for my long runs is a 9:38 plus or minus a few seconds.  This is my problem, when I run by myself on the long runs I tend to run a bit fast.  My run last weekend for 14 miles was a 9:06 and my pace for this run was starting out at a 9:10 and I didn't seem to be able to keep my pace around a 9:30.  


Because I was alone and tired, and I didn't want to fight the mental struggle of my pace for 12 miles, I decided to take my coaches advice and experiment with the run/walk interval to see if it helped my tired body and mind.

Here is what I found out:  the interval thing..no go for me.  I run too fast on the runs, and my overall pace was not that far off from my run had I just ran.  I ran 9:10 pace with my run intervals pretty regularly at 7:55.   A few 8's and two 8:30's.  However I can now see the benefit of adding some Fartleks in addition to the tempo runs on longer distances to train my body to run fast.  I didn't see the benefit before.  So over the next weeks as my Monday distance jumps up in the 10 mile range I may do a few Fartleks until I think I'm ready to run 10 miles at tempo.

Number two: I can not be trusted to do the long runs solo...I run too fast. 

Happy Running to you!

Tracy