improvement

This week has been a little slow on the running front.  Well, it feels like it, but I think I am actually doing well.  I took a rest day on Wednesday, but I am run today instead.

I did a interval run on Tuesday - 3 x 1600m.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	54:56.0	6.00	9:09
1	10:37.8	1.12	9:31
2	8:26.4	1.00	8:26
3	3:07.9	0.25	12:32
4	8:19.7	1.00	8:20
5	3:04.6	0.25	12:16
6	8:04.0	1.00	8:04
7	2:43.3	0.25	10:53
8	10:32.2	1.14	9:16

I am happy with this.  My training plan says to go faster, but I think that is too fast.  I don't know where I got those numbers from - I think I need to re-evaluate my times.  These 1600m are meant to be at race pace, so I was going for anywhere between 8:20-8:45 minute/miles.  I tried to stay comfortable, but hard.  The last 1600m was a little tougher though, but I really wanted to push myself.

I did read somewhere if you can't run a certain (maybe under 8 minute mile) pace you should do 1200m repeats instead of the 1600m ones.  I forgot about that, and set my watch.  I think it worked well, and I may implement more 1200m repeats at a later stage so I can attempt to run closer to a 8:10min/mile for all repeats.

Then my hill run. I had a 50 minute tempo run on the cards, but I opted to run up a big hill again, instead of the tempo.  Hal says I am allowed to do this.  I ran on a flat path for a mile, then started up hill.  My main goal was to try and keep going for at least 15 or so minutes, so I would be half way through my run.   Really, I just wanted to go further than my last run.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	52:06.6	6.00	8:41
1	9:31.6	1.00	9:31
2	9:32.4	1.00	9:32
3	9:22.9	1.00	9:22
4	7:44.9	1.00	7:44
5	7:07.0	1.00	7:06
6	8:47.8	1.00	8:47

My elevation gain was 447 feet, as opposed to two weeks ago, where my gain was 365 - almost 100ft more.  That was in half a mile of running, as I added on an extra mile to the total distance.  You can see in my splits above where I started running down hill!  I am happy with my splits - Especially the 7:06.  I am trying to push myself downhill too - working on my leg turnover and letting gravity help me.

To compare with my hill run (same road, same warm up) from two weeks ago.  I am extremely happy that I ran one mile more and my average pace is down 8 seconds per mile!  That is a win!  I was honestly expecting it to be a bit slower.  My goal is to go a bit further every time.

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	44:05.3	5.00	8:49
1	9:23.1	1.00	9:23
2	9:24.6	1.00	9:25
3	9:12.3	1.00	9:12
4	7:24.6	1.00	7:25
5	8:40.7	1.00	8:41

Then last night the husband and I went into the big smoke of Honolulu to catch a college baseball game.  What an amazing stadium for a college!  You can even see views of Diamond Head from the stadium.

good runs

It's been too long!

My running has been going really well.  I am consistently running, which is great.  I still struggle every morning - it takes me a while to get out of bed.  Sometimes I don't get out of bed at all - like this morning!  More often than not, I can will myself out of bed.

The count down is on, just a touch over 4 weeks until my half marathon.  I think my training is going well.  I am getting in some speedwork, tempo runs and, of course, long runs.  This weekend I will bump up my runs to 2 hours.  Hopefully that will get me close to 13 miles - though probably closer to 12.

Some highlights of my week:

My hill run!
I decided instead of a tempo that I would run up a hill close by to my house.  I started with a mile warm up, then start to climb.  I'm lucky that I have this hill, and it pretty much goes for as long as I like.  I think I got to about 1.5 miles, then turned and raced back down.  I tried to keep my legs turning as I went down.  I have heard this helps improve cadence.
My splits:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	44:05.3	5.00	8:49
1	9:23.1	1.00	9:23
2	9:24.6	1.00	9:25
3	9:12.3	1.00	9:12
4	7:24.6	1.00	7:25
5	8:40.7	1.00	8:41

You can tell where I was running downhill for the full mile!  7:25min/mile!!  I climbed almost 400ft too!

4 x 800m

Now, I missed my spadework on the Tuesday, so I decided to perform it on Friday, the day after my hill run.  I ran in the afternoon, after a lot of coffee during the day - I really believe this helped me out!  I was in shock with this run.  First, my watch wasn't working - it just wasn't saying the correct pace or distance.  I stopped, and reset my watch and started my run again.  I kept looking at it, thinking it was off, as my pace was too fast.  However, the distances were spot on (as I was running a normal route, where I know what mile I should be hitting and when).  

I wanted to go comfortably hard, and was aiming for around an 8:20min/mile pace.  I was shocked with the end results:

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	42:28.3	5.00	8:29
1	8:39.8	1.00	8:40
2	3:55.3	0.50	7:51
3	2:32.0	0.25	10:08
4	3:50.9	0.50	7:42
5	2:27.6	0.25	9:50
6	3:44.4	0.50	7:29
7	2:28.5	0.25	9:54
8	3:43.4	0.50	7:27
9	2:22.3	0.25	9:29
10	8:44.1	1.00	8:42

The 800m splits: 7:51, 7:42, 7:29 and 7:27.  The last one hurt a little more than the others.  I did try to push myself for the last two splits.

What I am amazed with was how easy this felt.  It felt comfortable.  My recovery was done at a jog, and my warm up and cool downs were below 9 minute miles.  This is a first!   I really believe this could have something to do with the previous days hill run - maybe my legs were thinking of the downhill part!  I'm definitely adding more of those hill workouts!

Long Run

This run I did not want to do.  I was planning on going for 2 hours, then I slept in.  I then decided an hour and a half.  While I was running I thought I wanted to hit 10 miles, so I ran 5 miles to my turn around point, which made me run the other 5 miles back home!  I thought that I should do this run as a 3/1 - three quarters slow and then the final quarter at, or close to, race pace.  At the 7 mile mark I did not think I could pick up the pace.  However, my last long run I told myself that different muscles are in use.  I need to find my fast muscles and use them.

It worked - I managed to get a faster pace and hold it!  I did stop just before the final mile to stretch, as I was going to use it to cool down.  Then as I started running again I thought, 'No, I want to keep it up!'

Split	Time	Distance	Avg Pace
Summary	1:31:59.4	10.00	9:12
1	9:37.7	1.00	9:38
2	9:25.6	1.00	9:26
3	9:34.0	1.00	9:34
4	9:25.6	1.00	9:26
5	9:21.2	1.00	9:21
6	9:40.3	1.00	9:40
7	9:35.6	1.00	9:36
8	8:40.1	1.00	8:40
9	8:16.5	1.00	8:17
10	8:22.9	1.00	8:22

I'm really happy with this run.  For not wanting to go, then being able to pull out 10 miles - with the last three fast, it shows what you can do if you put your mind to it!

Now for this week.  I have done 3 easy pace miles - which I ran too fast (again!) and then didn't run today - Tuesday.  It was my 4x800m day, according to my training plan, but I am thinking I will do that tomorrow morning.  Let's see if I can get out of bed!