Wednesday 120408 14 miles, treadmill lovin'

I had some thoughts that I'd wake up early and jump on things this AM.  While was up at 0530 (sort of), it takes me a bit to get rolling and ... the 3 inches of snow, wind chills to 8 made me content to enjoy a long cup of coffee first, with a nice wake up, an AM conversation with TZ, rather than head over to the local track.

Yeah, I am a wimp.  I don't mind running in the snow - in fact I like it.  I just want to do workouts that are a bit more structured right now rather ... in the big picture that structure probably does not matter ... a hard effort is a hard effort and that has payoff.  I just don't want to deal with excuses of snow and cold.

I feel  a bit guilty going to the treadmill.  It is a a bit too pampered.  I also know it is not the same as running outside.  But it is a tool I will use when I want to get in a solid, controllable workout over just romping out and about in the snow.

I am a bit sensitive to this "get in the quality" thing...  A couple years ago, I did lots of thrashing up Bear in the snow ... sometimes knee deep or worse.  It is VERY fun, it is a helluva workout if you look at your heart rate and descending is an absolute blast (ala the photo).  I believe however, that focusing too much on this is part of the reason why I "lost a step."

In any case, today was a mill day.  14 miles 89'24". 1.5% grade - 7:02, 6:50, 5:33, 6:34, 6:54, 6:36, 5:22, 6:41, 6:28, 5:31, 6:40, 6:25, 6:31, 6:21.

I wanted to keep it all at 8.6mph (or sub 7 miles) or better.  It takes a bit for the mill to ramp on the start of the first mile so I missed that one.  After the first two miles, I did 4 x .25 miles w/ 1 min rest, where the quarters were done at 12mph or faster (sub five).  On the rests, I brought the speed back down for recovery.  I recovered after the set in the rest of the fourth mile, and then the next 2.  I then did a 5K pace mile (5:22), and took two miles recovery after that.  In the recoveries, I'd often build the pace by a tenth of a mile per hour every minute.  I then did another 4 x .25 miles with 1 minute rest, again at 12 mph or better.  Cruised out the remaining 4 miles, just wanting to get the effort under 90 minutes.

The more I run on the mill, the more I think I can do whatever I want on that machine.  I think of Tim G a lot on the mill as he used to do some crazy crap on them like 20 mile runs in under 2 hours.  I used to think that was totally impossible ... I can smell it now.  Now - I know that does not translate (yet) into 2 hours for 20 outside.  Probably more like ... 2:10.  Not there in either case yet.  But ... I am daring to think there.

Food

AM - coffee, bagel egg ham sandwich I made

Lunch - post run, a calzone from the cafe (roasted veggie)

Dinner - homebrew, black bean burrito, corn bread