Speed...It's manipulative!

There are two ways to get faster at running:  The surefire way is to loose some weight, the second is speed workouts.  Both of them require discipline and consistency.  I'm fairly fit now, I have some extra insulation on my body, but honestly not a lot, when looking at weight-loss the most I could afford to lose and still stay healthy and strong would maybe be five pounds.  That really isn't going to buy me too much speed, which means that I've got to do it the good old fashioned way, speed workouts on the track.

Thank goodness for Touch Cookies fitness and my running buddies, because I'm not sure I'm disciplined enough to do the speed workouts on my own.  Last night was a speed workout on the track with the TC, and I still had to mentally talk myself through that.  I really, really, really detest thee.  However, this last month has really shown me how necessary and beneficial those workouts are.  My tempo has been simply crazy.  Ranging from 4 miles at 7:30 - 8:00 and 6 miles at 8:19 - 8:30.  Way crazy and way all over the place.  My steady state 6+ mile runs have been in the low 8's so why am I struggling to hold a sub 8 minute mile on these tempo runs?!

Needless to say, I was ancy going into last night's track workout.  The workout was 2 mile repeats, 2 800s and 4 400s.  Well, I don't like 400's so I decided to do 2 mile repeats and 4 800s.  I did pretty well!  My mile repeats were 7:01 and 7:02 and my 800s were 3:26,3:25, 3:25, 3:24 and my 400 was 1:38.  I was pretty pleased with that!  I needed some confidence that I could still move.  I kept moving constantly too, briskly walking a 400 between each set, careful not to stop moving.  I did notice that it was easier to keep my speed the same.

I had been questioning the benefit of the track workouts in favor of long tempo runs, but now I'm convinced I need both to keep my legs fast and to build that running strength.  You just don't use that much power in the tempo runs, so not going to be working or building up those fast twitch muscles.  I'm going to be hitting that track workout religiously between now and February.

I do have to say, I need to qualify for Boston and get there, because I think I'd just like to go back to the simple fun of running to run, and no speed workout or time goal to shoot for.....I think I've finally reached that maturity enough that it will be okay to be beaten by my running pals.....AFTER I qualify that is....Although, I do like the benefits of the way my body feels after those track workouts....Hmmm, maybe I do like these track workouts more than I realize.....