Tempo training in the rain

Soggy runners!

Today was one of those running days that could have gone very wrong, as in I may have opted out!  My bed felt so nice this morning and the birds were quiet because it was raining.  It was the perfect combination for hunkering down and staying indoors. I've been praying for rain. However, I am in training for a half marathon and my running buddy was counting on me.  I could have talked her out of it had we not been training.  That’s the beauty of preparing for a race. It keeps me dedicated. I use the term “dedicated” loosely. 

So it was that we found ourselves on a five mile workout with a three mile Tempo Run in the middle – in the rain.  The rain was actually kind of nice, until we stopped.  The cool down came quickly, as did the shivers! I was soaked through all my layers, but we were under our prescribed pace!

I’m warm now and the rain is still falling softly. I’m glad I did the run and I am very grateful for the rain. I am also grateful for race training – it keeps me moving.  Here is a short list of things that are good about training.

Training keeps me on a schedule.

It gives me goals I might not set for myself.

I get to eat snacks on the long runs.

I actually do long runs.

Rain, wind, sleet, or fire – we run!

If you are having difficulty staying on schedule with your running/exercise routine, maybe committing to a fitness event is the answer.  It works for me!

Question: Do you have a training tip you would like to share?

 

Happy Running!

 

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Time for a tempo run!

It has begun.  Training time.  I wore a watch for the first time in many moons. The watch doesn’t lie.  It tells me exactly how quickly or slowly I ran my workout.  We were ahead of our required pace on our first training run - faster by almost a minute per mile.  I’m thinking that’s not good and here is why …

My brain says, “If you were a minute under pace on the first run, then you can surely be that much faster on the rest of your workouts.” That’s what one would think.  Here is the problem … I’ve done it before. I start out faster than the schedule requires, then somehow the schedule begins to close the gap.  Instead of lowering my time each week while increasing mileage, I find myself hanging right around the same pace. I need to work on that. My speed workouts need to be more effective.

There is another thought process that I repeatedly run through.  It goes something like this …

“I want to be faster than last year.”

“What does it matter?  At your age you should be satisfied with finishing the race.”

“If I trained better, or lost a few pounds, I could run faster.”

“Hey, you’re awesome.  Look how far you can run. Just keep running!”

“But my relay team would probably like me to be faster.”

“You are doing this for health and for fun, right?  Chill.”

And so on …

I think I will take it one workout at a time. Today is a tempo run – and there is a breeze – and it could rain. Tempo runs are hard, but then, so are speed workouts and long runs. I need to remind myself that this is running.  It’s supposed to be hard.  If it were easy it would be called “walking.”

Happy Running!

Will's Hill tempo run

Today’s workout was supposed to be a Tempo Run.  I’ve complained about those before.  My Smart Coach training plan said, “Tempo run including warm up, three miles at 10:06, cool down.” That adds up to 5 miles. Since I had an awesome race on Saturday at the Old Fort Boise Fun Run, I thought, “Forget about the tempo.  I did speed work on Saturday.  I will just do an easy hill workout on Will’s Hill.”  Right.

Will’s Hill is a 5 mile out and back.  Out - into a head wind.  Back – downhill most of the way! If you can do the first 2.5 miles, the next 2.5 are rewarding.  Here is how I fared.

Mile 1  – 11:00 minutes.  I was sticking with the “easy hill workout.”

Mile 2.5 – 26:23 minutes.  I had picked up the pace, uphill with a headwind no less!

Mile 4 – 40:10 minutes. That downhill-wind-at-your-back stuff is pretty nice!

Mile 5 – 50:36 minutes.  That’s a 10:07/mile average!  Five miles at 10:07 is better than three miles at 10:06 in my book. That’s pretty good for this old granny!

What have I learned?

·         Training plans really can help improve your speed.

·         If I wear a watch (and start it), I push harder.

·         My first mile is always slow.

Visit Runner’s World and try out a Smart Coach plan for yourself.  You may be glad you did!

Tempo Run - Ugh!

Today’s training schedule said “Tempo Run.”  Tempo runs are almost harder for me than speed work.  It’s early in the training, so the tempo run was only two miles - two miles just under race pace. The problem with a training run is there is no adrenaline boost like there is on race day, so the tempo run feels like race pace!

I did a warm up mile, stretched, and gave myself a pep talk.  Then I set off on mile one, hurrying to ensure I was on pace with the time the schedule prescribed. After mile one I was 26 seconds under the required time – and I was exhausted! Mile two of the tempo run was a bit slower.  Still, I came in 22 seconds under pace.  I ran a slow cool down mile and now my legs feel like noodles – and I am starving! 

The best part was … I beat the rainstorm that was chasing me!

 

 

Question: What part of race training do you dread? How do you conquer your fear?

 



Happy Running!