Couples Retreat has been on TBS the past couple of days. Anyone remember the instructor from the yoga scene. "Boom, Boom. Encouragement. YEASSS!" That's all I can think of with the Boom Boom comentary.
Buckle up kids this posts going to be a long one. After a long travel week and a really hard ride in the cold/wind/snow yesterday I was not looking forward to 2x2mile at 7:27. While it was sunny today, the "Real Feel" temp was 14 with a 20mph wind out of the north. I planned for long warm up, but I just wasn't feeling it. The wind was demoralizing and the PB&J I ate 90' before I started was sitting in my stomach like a rock. Before I started my first interval I actually felt really dizzy. . .no idea what was causing it and I was totally ready to pack it in. With the wind I was fighting to hit 9:00' miles and thought 7:27 would be impossible. Looks like no Boom Boom for me.
I hit a corner where a right would send me back home and straight would send me out for at least 5 more miles.
Wind, stomach, head, wooden legs, I was ready to pack it in, but for some reason, I don't even remember making the decision, I kept going straight. I decided to forget my Garmin, try to ignore Mother Nature and just concentrate on what I could control high cadence and high hands and just let the intervals fall where they may.
I put myself in the box, tried to hide from the wind and hit the first mile at 7:58. Not great, but encouraged by the number I tried to pick up the pace. The wind gusts were just stupid and I was getting into a personal battle with mother nature and my stomach at the same time. Turned another corner and got a quick reprieve from the wind to finish out the second interval. 7:26! IT'S ON!
Hit the running trail (back into the block headwind) for the rest interval. Decided to extend the rest till I crested a little rise and then I'd hit the 2nd 2 miler. Right at the top of the rise Mother Nature took another swing, smack MASSIVE WIND GUST right in my face. Bring it b@#ch, you can't beat me! The wind was constant till I turned east and I swear the wind shifted with me. My calves and quads were killing me and the wind chill had sent my manly parts into full retreat. 7:24 with a tailwind coming up!
My stomach really hadn't improved much, but I kept trying to drink from my fuel belt. This was made a little more challenging given the tops on the two bottles behind me had frozen shut. My box was about 3 ft in front of me. I stayed focused on my foot speed and keeping my arms moving. Final mile 7:22! Finished off the remainder of the run @ about 7:50. Really glad I stuck with it and turned this around.
Well, today was a little bit about the good, the bad, and the ugly. Except there wasn't anything really ugly, or nothing really bad - just not as optimal.
During my 2 mile warmup, I could feel my legs not having quite the git-up-and-go they usually do - but by the end of the warmup they were feeling ok. First 2 miles @ TP was fine and missed the target pace by only 1 second (admittedly aided by some favorable slight downhill). Six minutes of rest was welcome. Second 2 miles @ TP started with some incline, so I knew that would be a challenge, and let the pace creep up a bit knowing I'd have to suck up whatever I felt for the rest of the two miles. Some downhill in the last mile helped, but ended up being closer to HMP rather than TP.
Majority of the rest of the run was near MP, with some parts a little slower, and some parts closer to HMP/TP. Entire time I felt like I am starting to see the results of 6 weeks of fatigue build up. I'm not sure how anyone really accumulates much HMP time after the threshold miles!
I have a few forced rest days over the next two weeks as I'm travelling for work, so that'll be a timely and welcome break. Will also give me a good chance to work on some leg strength stuff - left knee is getting a bit tight, and I've been neglecting the squats and lunges for a while and it appears to be catching up with me.
So, after getting the flu late Tuesday night ... I am finally back in full swing! I can't believe how down and blue I get when I can't meet my daily goals! New goal, per last week training focus... To post more often. As a newbe it can be a bit overwhelming seeing all you more experienced, faster team mates. But now after 6 weeks in the books I am feeling a but more comfortable!
As for the run, the warm up was a little tough to get the legs going. They felt slow and heavy but after 2 or so miles I felt better and was ready to give it my all. I'm in the beginner group so it was 2 x 1/2 mile and 2x 1 mile at 9:20 pace. Got the first two in right on but my first mile was way over cooked by over 30 seconds. So my last mile was a bit slow of coarse by 10 seconds. The only thing I remember thinking the whole time was... When does this up hill end. Haha. Got in 1:03 and a little over 7 miles.
Really excited that I'm no longer sick and I am so ready to bring on week SEVEN!!!
As a newbe it can be a bit overwhelming seeing all you more experienced, faster team mates.
Don't be overwhelmed. Numbers don't matter. We're all in misery halfway through our intervals, and misery loves company. Last time I checked, an RPE of 10 out of 10 is still a 10 regardless of pace/power/whatever.
Looks like lots of great work here in NOS for a strong week 6. Way to bring it everyone!
Weather was nice today (sunny and 45*) but was derailed by chores and hunting for a chirstmas tree. Well, wandering around a christmas tree farm is a really great thing to do. Anyway ended up running on the deadmill tonight during football.
Started with a 2 mile warm up then jumped into the first interval. Plan called for 2x2 but I ended up with 1x5 instead. It just felt smooth and comfortable up until halfway into mile 5.
Cory - right there with you - so many fast people ! I am on the beginner plan and have the same run pace as you! I did my w/o on the treadmill so pretty much have to hit it otherwise ill fly off. I am just happy to be able to hit my w/os at this pace. Love it! I am actually looking forward to the next test to see what I can do.
Cory and Ann! Welcome to EN! I'm new to this way of life, just like you two. Sure, you can talk yourself down and look at other people's numbers but that's not the measuring contest that isn't going to make you smile on the inside. Wait until those tests roll around later on down the line. What kind of improvement are you making on yourself compared to what the others on the team achieve. That's where the playing field is level and no one has anything on you.
Here's betting you can make a better improvement on yourself than that big talker, Carl, from the JOS. Heh heh heh...
took yesterday off to spend with the family, but got my Week 6 long run in this morning
hit Central Park ~6am and after a solid w/u including strides hit my 2x1.5 miles at ~6:22. need to check the garmin, but that might have been altitude aided, but not by much. stretched the run to ~80min total, including a great "runner's high" at 54' in -- was definitely feeling the mojo flowing! ended with a few add'l strides during cooldown
afterwards, i took a look at tmw's 2x20s and the high came off a touch...
Yeayyyyy Ann! Oh, how wonderfull to have a match! Pain buddies! Sweet! Lets attack this OS together then! But I don't think I would be mentally capable to do the runs on the treadmill! So great job!
Alright Peter... Carl is now on my "Try to beat his improvements" list. That's a good way to look at it! The goal IS to make the biggest improvement on self! Look out Carl! Haha!
Missed the brick run on Saturday so I was determined to hit the full 90 min. run today. I got a good 10 min. warm-up in on the dreadmill. I have been doing all my runs on the dreadmill so that I have a good measurement of progress. The first interval of 2 miles I did at a 6:40 pace. It was tough but I managed it. During the 6 min. recovery I was wondering if I would be able to maintain that same pace through the next interval of 2 miles. Started out the 2 miler at 6:40 pace and surprised myself by maintaining it all the way through. I almost had psyched myself out of trying. I ended up with 10 miles in an hour 20 min. Ill take it.
Comments
Couples Retreat has been on TBS the past couple of days. Anyone remember the instructor from the yoga scene. "Boom, Boom. Encouragement. YEASSS!" That's all I can think of with the Boom Boom comentary.
Buckle up kids this posts going to be a long one. After a long travel week and a really hard ride in the cold/wind/snow yesterday I was not looking forward to 2x2mile at 7:27. While it was sunny today, the "Real Feel" temp was 14 with a 20mph wind out of the north. I planned for long warm up, but I just wasn't feeling it. The wind was demoralizing and the PB&J I ate 90' before I started was sitting in my stomach like a rock. Before I started my first interval I actually felt really dizzy. . .no idea what was causing it and I was totally ready to pack it in. With the wind I was fighting to hit 9:00' miles and thought 7:27 would be impossible. Looks like no Boom Boom for me.
I hit a corner where a right would send me back home and straight would send me out for at least 5 more miles.
Wind, stomach, head, wooden legs, I was ready to pack it in, but for some reason, I don't even remember making the decision, I kept going straight. I decided to forget my Garmin, try to ignore Mother Nature and just concentrate on what I could control high cadence and high hands and just let the intervals fall where they may.
I put myself in the box, tried to hide from the wind and hit the first mile at 7:58. Not great, but encouraged by the number I tried to pick up the pace. The wind gusts were just stupid and I was getting into a personal battle with mother nature and my stomach at the same time. Turned another corner and got a quick reprieve from the wind to finish out the second interval. 7:26! IT'S ON!
Hit the running trail (back into the block headwind) for the rest interval. Decided to extend the rest till I crested a little rise and then I'd hit the 2nd 2 miler. Right at the top of the rise Mother Nature took another swing, smack MASSIVE WIND GUST right in my face. Bring it b@#ch, you can't beat me! The wind was constant till I turned east and I swear the wind shifted with me. My calves and quads were killing me and the wind chill had sent my manly parts into full retreat. 7:24 with a tailwind coming up!
My stomach really hadn't improved much, but I kept trying to drink from my fuel belt. This was made a little more challenging given the tops on the two bottles behind me had frozen shut. My box was about 3 ft in front of me. I stayed focused on my foot speed and keeping my arms moving. Final mile 7:22! Finished off the remainder of the run @ about 7:50. Really glad I stuck with it and turned this around.
BOOM. . .BOOM. Encouragement. YEAAASSSS!
During my 2 mile warmup, I could feel my legs not having quite the git-up-and-go they usually do - but by the end of the warmup they were feeling ok. First 2 miles @ TP was fine and missed the target pace by only 1 second (admittedly aided by some favorable slight downhill). Six minutes of rest was welcome. Second 2 miles @ TP started with some incline, so I knew that would be a challenge, and let the pace creep up a bit knowing I'd have to suck up whatever I felt for the rest of the two miles. Some downhill in the last mile helped, but ended up being closer to HMP rather than TP.
Majority of the rest of the run was near MP, with some parts a little slower, and some parts closer to HMP/TP. Entire time I felt like I am starting to see the results of 6 weeks of fatigue build up. I'm not sure how anyone really accumulates much HMP time after the threshold miles!
I have a few forced rest days over the next two weeks as I'm travelling for work, so that'll be a timely and welcome break. Will also give me a good chance to work on some leg strength stuff - left knee is getting a bit tight, and I've been neglecting the squats and lunges for a while and it appears to be catching up with me.
Finished up the 2X2 nothing flashy, nothing fast but I working on speeding up. Total of 55 minutes on the treadmill so right on the TP target.
Gordon
So, after getting the flu late Tuesday night ... I am finally back in full swing! I can't believe how down and blue I get when I can't meet my daily goals! New goal, per last week training focus... To post more often. As a newbe it can be a bit overwhelming seeing all you more experienced, faster team mates. But now after 6 weeks in the books I am feeling a but more comfortable!
As for the run, the warm up was a little tough to get the legs going. They felt slow and heavy but after 2 or so miles I felt better and was ready to give it my all. I'm in the beginner group so it was 2 x 1/2 mile and 2x 1 mile at 9:20 pace. Got the first two in right on but my first mile was way over cooked by over 30 seconds. So my last mile was a bit slow of coarse by 10 seconds. The only thing I remember thinking the whole time was... When does this up hill end. Haha. Got in 1:03 and a little over 7 miles.
Really excited that I'm no longer sick and I am so ready to bring on week SEVEN!!!
keep up the great work everyone!!!
-Cory
Don't be overwhelmed. Numbers don't matter. We're all in misery halfway through our intervals, and misery loves company. Last time I checked, an RPE of 10 out of 10 is still a 10 regardless of pace/power/whatever.
BTW - Nice work!
@ Joe: way to battle! That deserves a big double BOOM BOOM!!
Thank you Ryan! I needed the simplification for sure!
Looks like lots of great work here in NOS for a strong week 6. Way to bring it everyone!
Weather was nice today (sunny and 45*) but was derailed by chores and hunting for a chirstmas tree. Well, wandering around a christmas tree farm is a really great thing to do. Anyway ended up running on the deadmill tonight during football.
Started with a 2 mile warm up then jumped into the first interval. Plan called for 2x2 but I ended up with 1x5 instead. It just felt smooth and comfortable up until halfway into mile 5.
Total run 7.0 in 53:53 @ 7:41
I'm feeling a big vDot bump coming on....
I am just happy to be able to hit my w/os at this pace. Love it! I am actually looking forward to the next test to see what I can do.
Here's betting you can make a better improvement on yourself than that big talker, Carl, from the JOS. Heh heh heh...
took yesterday off to spend with the family, but got my Week 6 long run in this morning
hit Central Park ~6am and after a solid w/u including strides hit my 2x1.5 miles at ~6:22. need to check the garmin, but that might have been altitude aided, but not by much. stretched the run to ~80min total, including a great "runner's high" at 54' in -- was definitely feeling the mojo flowing! ended with a few add'l strides during cooldown
afterwards, i took a look at tmw's 2x20s and the high came off a touch...
Yeayyyyy Ann! Oh, how wonderfull to have a match! Pain buddies! Sweet! Lets attack this OS together then! But I don't think I would be mentally capable to do the runs on the treadmill! So great job!
Alright Peter... Carl is now on my "Try to beat his improvements" list. That's a good way to look at it! The goal IS to make the biggest improvement on self! Look out Carl! Haha!