June 2017 Running Challenge

Today was a mixed bag.

I was so excited to get out and run today because it was only 59° outside! Humidity was 86% but it was ONLY 59°!!!

My planned workout was 9 miles of the worst hills I can plan with 4 of those miles at tempo effort. I've been running these particular hills somewhat regularly and always hoped I could do them as part of regular runs. I've been there now for a few weeks. This makes me happy to have achieved this.

The first mile sucked. The second mile sucked even more. I found myself struggling to push up the hills and I was feeling more tired already than my HR was reporting. WTF?? This was very unexpected and I couldn't come up with a good reason for it on those first two miles...unless I just needed a break...

But I was not going to skip a workout today. No way!

It was not just mental. I was tired on the hills. My legs were petering out early in my assigned easy effort HR ranges physically. It was real.

So I cut over on one street to head to the local high school track. I figured maybe a break from the hills would help. Plus I could do some honest intervals, which I was unable to do Monday due to those very hills. Attempting 400m or 800m intervals on those hills is still a bit beyond me, but I try, which usually means running the downhills at below desired effort and partway uphill until I can't run further and walking the rest of the way up.

I had just barely got onto the track when my Garmin chirped that my 2.5 mile warmup was over and 4 miles at tempo effort should begin. Well, that was changing! I decided that if my endurance was kaput I would go for short sprint intervals. I decided on attempting eight 100m intervals with a 100m walk in between. That plus the 2.5 miles to the track and back home would yield around a nice, even 6 miles.

The first 100m interval was slow, somewhat on purpose. On one hand it was a warmup at higher speed, on the other some part of my brain was stuck in endurance mode and trying to ensure I reserved a bit to last the distance. It only takes one 100m dash to realize there is no point in reserving anything, it's too short, just put it all out there. I don't know my time because I hit "run" on my Garmin instead of "lap" and restarted my run by hitting it again when I finished that interval.

My second interval went better except for using my Garmin again. That time when I hit "lap" my run stopped because my programmed workout ended after that last "lap". Boy, was I unprepared for my watch today!!

The next 6 intervals went very well. I was running as fast as I could, right to that point I felt a mistep or pushing harder would mean disaster. I just focused on form, pushing as fast as I could, and starting/stopping the run and my Garmin at the start and stop lines. On the back side of the track I used the 200m and 300m lines as start and finish.

The last 3 intervals required some grit to not slow down those last few strides. I also had to really focus on my form and had a step or two drifting slightly towards the line on those last ones. I also found my recovery took the entire walk on those last two intervals. So I decided to stop at those 8 intervals, despite how I now felt.

I wanted to do more, like really, really, really wanted to do more. It was a huge change from how I felt when I arrived at the track.

I was getting conistent 26 second laps on all of those final six 100m intervals. Looking at Garmin my fastest pace was 6:39 on my 5th sprint. That's quite slow, but I'm not sure I've seen that pace in anything I've done before. It makes me want to try and get to a six minute mile, over an actual mile. That may be a lot to ask at my age though.

A young girl who was warming up out there, possibly from that school, went out of her way as I was jogging out to tell me I did a great job. I'm sure she was just being nice but it really made me feel even better.

The 2.5 mile run home felt 100% better than the run out to the track.

So instead if 9 miles I only did six. But I feel like I accomplished more somehow.

Strange day today.

6/1 - rest
6/2 - 3.1 miles
6/3 - 13.1 miles
6/4 - 4.5 miles
6/5 - 9 miles
6/6 - 4.5 miles
6/7 - 6 miles

40.2 of 170 miles completed

6/1 = Gym day; 3 miles on the treadmill and 40 minutes of strength training
6/2 = 6 miles
6/3 = 6 miles & strength training
6/4 = 13.9 miles (run/walk)
6/5 = 8.1 miles & strength training
6/6 = rest day
6/7 = 8 miles (with 6 - 5 minute speed intervals)

Happy Global Running Day everyone! Eight miles this morning with speed intervals. It has been a while since I have done any kind of speed work. *kitten* Kicked

(June miles to date) 45/150 (June goal miles)

So after I got home, I kicked my shoes off and noticed something unusual...



Is that a screw?! I went and got a screwdriver, the only time I can ever recall having to use a screwdriver on shoes, and backed it out. I'm very glad this wasn't 1/4" or 1/2" longer! I looked inside and it did not go all the way through. Whew!



There is some new construction and some renovations on 2 of the roads I run down. Guess the guys got sloppy and dropped at least one screw on the sidewalk. I'll be on the lookout from now on!

@Bakins929 - Impressive! You have very eloquently presented the argument that convinces me not to try to become a barefoot runner.

MobyCarp wrote: »

@Bakins929 - Impressive! You have very eloquently presented the argument that convinces me not to try to become a barefoot runner.

ah, but if you were a barefoot runner your proprioception would prevent you from putting your full weight onto that screw.