I have been pretty going through the motions on a lot of this training since the start of the year. Not bad motions, in fact they have been pretty good. I have been getting in some regular miles, and some more vertical than usual. But I have been very much avoiding a key aspect: the hurt. Not the injury hurt, or even the long climb hurt. Just that plain old V02 max interval hurt.
And that is because I have been scared of it.
Yeah, I know it sounds silly but it is true. Plain old ducking cuz that stuff hurts. Given the choice of blasting through intervals for 20 minutes or cruising along for 90 minutes, I will pick the latter every time these days. Used to be the opposite. Heck, I will even look to grind through a 40 minute or 20 minute tempo run. And worst case, I can hide in the supposed workout of 400s. All those are good workouts but they are not quite the thrashing I have been avoiding that you get when playing in that 3-6 minute space of 5k or better pace.
Of course I can reconcile that. “It’s early in the season. You don’t need to do that sort of stuff yet. Keep building this base. You will get enough of it in the hill climbing. Wow, this MAF pace is just under seven minutes a mile – awesome. You are killing it." And there is of course a truth to some of that. But I can reconcile anything I am doing in my program at any time (can’t most of us?).
But … I know I need to get to a regular set of work that is making me dance with that red line. And not just for the physical benefit, but to deal with what I am not dealing with.
Today I got started: 3 x a mile.
I made the deal with myself ahead of time (in the warm up of course) that since I was doing this that I a.) could take off what rest I wanted and b.) I really just had to let the time expectations go.
That second one is a bit hard for me: I knew I’d see the watch and think “what? Is this damn watch running fast or something?” While a decade has passed since I did these under five minutes a mile, it does not feel that way. In fact it feels like I ought to do them exactly the same. Something in the universe has a different take on that however.
Headed over to the Commons (figuring the snow would be clear enough there for me to get something in without having to trudge through the white stuff) for a three and a third warm up. Then 5:56. Ugh. Well, slightly up hill. Then a vicious bio break. Well, that was a bit better. Then 5:50. And then a 5:54 where I thought a leg was going just fall off. Another ugh
Heck, I am pretty sure I would have averaged better than 5:50 if I jumped in a 5k race. This just shows how spineless I am on getting into this sort of mix on my own. This is more training for my heart than my heart. More to come … (side note the other thing I have been missing is the longer flat run, but I am reconciling that with the 2+ hour runs I have done … of course it is all reconcilable).
10.2 miles for the day. 73.8 on the week, at just over 11 hours and 7k feet of climbing (2 Greens to bring me to 23). Not bad given the weather.
JZ and a pal on the local hill.
Oh 48.8 miles this week in the Hokas.
How do the Bondi 2s feel compared to the originals? My Stinson Tarmacs were great for all 16 hours the other day.
ReplyDeleteSo far so good. I find them to be pretty comfy. They have more of a road outsole, so the grip on snow and ice is not great - but that is not what they were made for.
DeleteInteresting your thoughts on speedwork. Can relate. I used to get so uptight about trying to nail specific times going into workouts. I've been avoiding that type of workout myself lately, as I've had it in my head that I'd risk injury in a big way if I tried to run VO2max type stuff the way I used to. Not sure if that's true but dealing with more nigglies lately, it's been justified in my head.
ReplyDeletere: your workout...No matter what, the first workout back like that is always killer. Guaranteed that next week you'll run considerably quicker and feel smoother. And besides, sounds like you did your miles on the road, so can blame the slower than hoped for times on the GPS.
Yeah, the track was snowed in. I saw that as a good thing too. I think my head would have exploded if I actually had to maintain splits around a track.
DeleteI know you are like me and tend to prefer running alone. But ever consider doing your speed work with others? Seems like that might help regarding how much effort you put forth.
ReplyDeleteGreat point Nick.
DeleteI actually greatly enjoy running with others - it is just that I am too lazy or otherwise committed to other stuff to make training with others a regular thing. Much easier for me to follow my own schedule and get out the door when I want and how I want versus something else. That said, I get what I pay for.