Two Friday Speed Workouts

Just over a week ago, I did a tempo run. I WONDERED if I could be close to 18:00 over 3 miles, but I wasn't holding my breath. I was also quite humid, which KILLS me.

I went "out" with half mile splits of 3:01, 3:02, and 3:07, and I felt pretty good about that. I thought I COULD possibly be close to 18:00 by the end, as I was just 0:10 over that pace after 1.5 miles. But the heat started getting to me, and I came "back" with half mile splits a lot slower (until a final half mile that was also downhill): 3:10, 3:09, and 2:58.

Then this past week, we were on vacation up north (more on that in upcoming posts), and I did an interval workout yesterday. Since Garmin is currently down (someone hacked Garmin Connect and is holding it for ransom - did you hear about this?!?), I can't download my workout yet, but I have the splits recorded. I ran on quiet paved back roads along the lake where we were staying.

I did 3x1 mile intervals with 3:00 of walking rest inbetween. The course started and ended with a few hills: sharper downhill for 100 feet or so, then an easy uphill for a few hundred feet, then a decent downhill for 0.14 miles. Then flat for a bit. I'd run past the 0.5 mile marker, so when I turned around, I could skip the final short uphill to where I started (so I'd just have more flat, then that 0.14 mile uphill [which would KILL near the end of the intervals], and then a bit of a downhill to the finish). Since Garmin is down, here's a "MapMyRun" version of what I did:

My intervals curving to the northwest and coming back.
(Note that I turn around after 0.5 miles so I can end before the start.)


Here's why I turn around late: to avoid having to
climb the short steep hill that I went down at the start.

My legs were HEAVY from the start as it was the end of vacation (more crappy eating, not a great bed, and more bike riding that week), and it was another steamy morning. Here were my half mile splits, I was happy they generally sped up:

3:05.70, 3:02.85 = 6:08.55
3:00 walking = 0.15 miles

3:01.82, 3:04.01 = 6:05.83
2:59 walking = 0.15 miles

2:58.93, 2:54.49 = 5:53.36
3:00 walking = 0.16 miles

Average: 6:02.58 / mile

I would have LOVED for that to have been faster, but again with the heat! And I find myself less concerned with my times as I'm "coming back" from this injury and more just happy that I'm putting in a harder effort. For right now, it's just about feeling "worked" and not about hitting certain splits.

OK, back to post-vacation laundry!! (I'm on load #6 right now... no joke.)