I want to thank everyone for being nice about my title fail yesterday:
It's a common problem when I'm in a hurry. I cut corners. I move on to the next thing before I finish the task at hand. Maybe kind of like the way I approach a race? I was watching my Surf City video again last night. My comment at mile 9? It's about the miles to the finish. Not the mile I'm at right then and there. Not about my breathing or my heel strike. It's about the hill up ahead.
I thought about that a lot last night as I was running. On the schedule was a 10 mile tempo run. I headed on around Newport Back Bay, a trail that I often run. I think I've said before (and maybe I should be shot for thinking this), but I'm bored by this trail. To fight the drudgery, I anticipate where I'm going and praying that it will be over soon. I think ahead to the hill at mile 5 1/2. I think about the boring Westcliff neighborhood that I will run through. I think about the church at mile 9 and the warm down.
So I tried to do a couple things differntly last night. I tried to concentrate on my breathing. On my foot strike. On my posture. Basically on what was happening instead of what was going to happen. Here's what did happen: 10.5 miles in a 9:08 pace overall, 7.5 tempo miles in an average 8:49 pace (including hills) with an average heart rate just below LT. Compare that to the last time I ran this exact route under the same conditions two weeks ago - that's 45 seconds per mile faster during the tempo miles. Wow. I still need to do a lot of work on this, but maybe there's something to it.
On tap today is a date with my rowing machine. 10 kilometers. I'm already starting to sweat.
Hi Genn,
ReplyDeleteWowzer way to kick into the fast gear:) That is awesome that you were able to do that just by changing a few things! Impressive:) Go you!!
Maybe once in awhile I have time to stop.think.write.spellcheck. I am usually running here there and everywhere while I type these out. so, iny mispeling or gramer prblms r undestand.
ReplyDeleteI as well am very bored with my routes where I live. This is why trail running is getting more attention these days from me.
Be happy to join ya for some ultra trail runs in the future. Right now I need to get this 26.2 road thing done first. My next HM race will be on the trails next month though.
As runners, we're typically a pretty smart crew (or so I like to think), but I think a lot of people go through your runs thinking about the next rather than the present (myself included). Great concept to pay attention to.
ReplyDeleteWow Speedy! Sounds like you are getting the hang of the tempo run!
ReplyDeleteI think we all tend to cut corners when we are in a hurry and I have found myself doing the same thing during a race. Thanks for the reminder!
You are fast!
ReplyDeleteOk Glenn...heres my opinion! I think you are a middle distance runner! I think your strengths are 15km, 10 milers and the like. Idk maybe you are just getting faster and faster at the shorter distances BUT i think that everyone has a distance they are good at and maybe yours is the half marathon or 10 milers...??? just a thought!
Nice job, Speedy! It feels so good to see improvement from one week to the next,doesn't it? Don't worry about the spelling error, I think we all get in a hurry to post or comment and sometimes mistakes happen. I'm sure it has happened to all of us! I know I've done it! Happy running this week, gorgeous weather isn't it?!
ReplyDeleteNice improvement. It just keeps on coming.
ReplyDeleteat least you can think of titles. 99.9% of the time i write my post and then sit there for 3 hrs trying to think of a lame title to give it :) i def didn't notice, although maybe you already corrected it before i had a chance to comment? no biggie.
ReplyDeletenice job on the tempo run! i have similar thoughts about my routes too sometimes... gotta either change it up or suck it up!