Use it or Lose it

Okay, had a family emergency out of state last week, but am back now and today was my first run in over a week.  5 miles outside (capital building loop) at a good pace, then cooled down with 2 TM miles (5  mph at 1.5%). Finished up with 2 sets of post running stretches.  Gotta get back on schedule now.

5 TM miles, mostly at 5.5 mph and 1.5%. I usually try to mix in some faster running on Mondays, but was low in energy today, probably the effect of not getting enough nutrition last week.  No time for postrunning stretches, maybe will do some during my lunch break today.

Will try for a hill workout on Wednesday, but need to remember to eat well the night before to help my motivation and energy level.  (56:11)

Was planning a hill workout on the TM, but since I chickened out of my speed workout on Monday I decided to do the speed workout today, and push the hills to Friday.

1 mile warm-up (TM 1.5%  5 mph)
8 reps of:  1/4 mile "hard" (1.5%  6.5 mph) and 1/8 mile "easy" (1.5%  4-5 mph)
Finished with 1 mile cool-down (1.5%  5 mph) 
2 sets of my postrunning stretches

Okay, nobody laugh at my blazing fast 6.5mph reps!!  These were fast reps for me at my target 5k pace, and made for a good hard workout .  It felt pretty good actually, even if my form got a bit ragged during the last couple reps.  (57:40)

Next week I'll keep the speed at 6.5 mph, but try merging some of the middle reps, perhaps:
1/4, 1/4, 1/2, 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 (with 1/2 distance recovery after each rep).  This will be pretty hard for me, but I think I should be able to tough it out. 

Hill workout:

1 mile warmup (1.5%  5 mph), then:

6 reps 1/4 mile "hard" (5%, 5.5 mph), followed by 1/4 mile "easy (1%, 5.5 mph).

Then cooled down (1.5% at 5.5 mph, dropping down to 5 mph toward the end).

Forcused on increasing my stride rate during the 5% inclines.  Did two sets of postrunning stretches.   Also, I decided to log my "hard" sections as "fast" since the intensity level was just as hard, if not harder, than fast running.

Need to plan a long fun outside run tomorrow - snow flakes would be cool :).

7.5 outside to Capital, then to City Creek & about 1.5 miles up the canyon, then to school, then home, where I added 1 TM mile to cool down. Lotsa drizzling rain which turned to big fat snowflakes up in City Creek Canyon - it was quite refreshing to breathe in the nice cool air even if my clothes did get a bit soggy! Didn't push it anywhere - just a long easy run.

Missed my post running stretches because I had to take one of my kids somewhere.  If I were smart . . . , I'd do some now that I'm back home!

Ran outside again today (to Capital & back, then side loop to school).  Legs felt pretty dead the first few blocks, but then were fine.  It felt really really good to do my stretches afterwards - I think I was a bit stiff because I didn't do any stretching after my long run on Saturday.

So far my feet seem to be adjusting from the treadmill to pavement okay (knock on wood!).  I'll plan a TM/interval workout for Wednesday. 

Speed day. . .1 mile warmup (1.5% 5mph), then did the following reps:

1/4, 1/4, 1/2, 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 miles (1.5% 6.5 mph), with 1/2 distance recovery jogs between reps.  Whew - kept my goal pace for all the reps!  Felt good!  (I was sooo thankful for those slow recovery jogs between reps!)

Then 1 mile cooldown (1.5% 5-5.5 mph).  Did 2 sets of post running stretches.

Next week I will either repeat this speed workout, or perhaps go 1/4, 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, 1/4.  The following week I will try to increase the distance of one or two of the reps to 3/4 mile.

Not sure about the rest of my training this week.  Usually I do a hill workout one day, then a long slow run on Saturday..  But I've been wanting to fit in 2 miles of tempo running at 6 mph to see how it feels, but don't think I should do that and the hill workout.  Not sure which is best for me at this stage.  I'll either run easy tomorrow, skip Friday, then try injecting a 2 mile tempo run into the middle of Saturday's long run.  Or else I'll skip running tomorrow, run a hill or tempo workout on Friday, amd then run long and slow on Saturday.  Any suggestions out there as to whether hills or tempo runs would be better for me at this point?  I could alternate weeks with hills one week, tempo runs the next.  Also, don't know if I should incorporate the tempo miles into a regular 5 mile run, or inject them into Saturday's long run, which is usually very slow. 

Also have to consider the possible injury effect to my cranky old body! Tsk. . . decisions . . . 

Hill Day.  Warmed up 1 mile (TM 1.5% at 5 mph), then

6 reps: 1/4 mile (5% at 5.5 mph), then recovery 1/4 (1% at 5-5.5 mph).

Cooled down 3/4 mile (TM 1.5% at 5.5 mph, dropping to 5 mph at end).

Whew, these reps are darn hard!  (Not sure if I should change my recovery periods at all - the first couple recoverys seem easy and too long, but I definitely appreciate every bit of the last few recoverys.)  No time for my post running stretches -  had to hurry up and shower and catch the bus to work.  Will try to do some light stretching at work. 

Okay, now just need to finish up this week with a nice long slow run tomorrow - hopefully outside!

Felt very sluggish today - 7 mile outdoor loop (to capital, up a mile into city creek canyon, then home).  There was a pretty bitter cold breeze today, but I don't think that was my problem, as I've ran in much worse conditions.  I think changing my weekly schedule so my long run happens after an easy day, rather than after a hard hill workout day, would give me more energy for my long run and help put some "spring" back into my step. 

So, with a new week coming I'll try my new schedule, which will keep the same type and number workouts and mileage, just have them on different days.  (One nice thing about long slow runs, you have plenty of time to contemplate your training schedule!!).  I think this change should help; then I can continue to gradually increase the distance of my long run, and perhaps I can eventually add another easy run day to my weekly routine, too.

Finished with two sets of post running stretches, while enjoying a very healthy and delicious smoothy. :)  (For some reason I was extremely thirsty during my run today, too!)

Speed workout:  (no laughing, please!!!)

1 mile warm up (TM 1.5% @ 5 mph)

1/4, 1/4, 1/2, 1/2, 1/2, 1/4, 1/4 reps (1.5% @ 6.5 mph)
(1/2 distance recovery jogs between reps.)

1 1/4 mile cool down.

I felt really good for today's workout!  (Such a great feeling after Saturday's discouraging low energy run!).  I finished with two sets of post running stretches.  Next week I need to lengthen one or two of the reps from 1/2 to 3/4 mile (with 1/4 mile recovery).

Finally caught that darn bug that has been going around.  Lots of croupin' and sneezing, but I don't have a headache or fever so decided I would run.

Went 5 miles at 5.5 mph (TM 1.5%).  It was an easy pace, which is what I wanted since I'm sick, but seemed to take FOREVER to complete.  (TM running seems to go by much much much quicker when I'm monkeying around with the speed and/or incline every 1/4 mile!)

Really skimped on my postrunning stretches, and then had to run hard to catch the bus to work.  Good news - I made the bus with 20 seconds to spare!   :)

Outside run to capital and back.  Not a hard pace, but not super slow either.  I'm satisfied with just running since I'm still battling this cold, and I'm croupy and sneezing a lot. 

Absolutely GORGEOUS running conditions outside this morning - not too cold, and crystal clear skies!