Thursday, July 14, 2011

Speed Workout #1

Thursdays are speed workouts and today was my first in a long time.  Whew, I had forgotten how tough they are!

I did a slow 1 mile run to Halter Park next to Olmand's Creek.  While setting my watch for intervals I was approached by a woman -40ish- on a bicycle asking if I had seen a man sitting, a man with glassess she explained.  I replied yes I had but he had left several minutes earlier.  I pointed in the direction.  She explained that she told him to wait while she fetched coffee.  She looked distraught as she peddled off in the direction I pointed.  Kinda weird, but still well within the whatever category.

I started my workout:
  • Part 1:  30 seconds sprint/ 30 seconds recovery x 6 sets
  • Part 2:  2 minutes hard run/ 2 minutes recovery run x 6 sets
My sprint pace maxed out at 5.08 m/m with an average of about 6 m/m and my recovery pace was a walk.  After a few slugs of water I started part 2 of the speed work out; the harder of the two.  I managed to maintain a sub 7 m/m for all 6 hard runs.  My recovery pace was a walk for 1.5 minutes, then a 30 second slow run before the beeper signalled the start of the hard run.  

These are tough workouts and, honestly, not my favourite.  Dean Kriellaars says "Becoming a stronger runner is about getting rid of your weaknesses more than making your strengths stronger."  Clearly, speed workouts are my weakness.

Total distance = 6 miles.  i.e. 6 hard, sweaty, almost puked kinda miles.  Satisfying though.

Oh, and the 40-ish women looking for her lost soul?  She passed me on her bicycle sobbing mid-way through my workout.  Another runner and I stopped and chatted about sobbing lady.  We were wondering what to do.  Just then the man with glasses appeared and they embraced, happy and snuggly.  They sat down at the bench and had coffee.  I continued my work out but when I left she was sobbing again, in his arms.

Weird.

It is a glorious day to be alive, sobbing lady aside.

:>)

M  



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