Relax
That was the code word today. On the schedule: 10 x 1k w/2:45 rest. w/u & c/d to total out 10 miles. Purpose: Aerobic Power. Target Pace: 5:58.
At first, I was little troubled by my new Garmin. I had put the workout into the watch and included a 'target range'. Well, it was obvious from the beginning, that the watch and I were not going to be friends for very long. It was beeping at me for going too slow and then it beeped at me for going too fast. The trouble was, I couldn't read the message it was saying on the screen. Eventually, I did figure out that one message says "Speed up!" and the other says "Slow down!". But it wasn't helpful at the time.
I love the watch. And so far, the only flaw I can tell is that it doesn't have different tones for going too fast or going too slow. It's the same. Now you'd think I'd know by feel whether I was going too slow or too fast, and eventually I did. But at first I was one confused runner.
Also, the watch continually beeps at you if you're going too slow. But... if you're going too fast it bothers you only for a little while, then it gives up on you. So the first time that happened (lap 2), I thought I was 'in the zone' because of the silence. No dice. I was rocketing much too fast. At the end of that lap, I was worried that I might have ruined my workout.
But I didn't. The workout was completed, and it was done somewhat comfortably. I ran in the pitch dark on the airstrip. The length is 3/4 mile so I had plenty of room to do 10 x 1k without seeing where I was going. The trouble, however, is the wind. It's a headwind going out, and a tailwind coming back. Therefore, my odd numbered laps are slower than target pace, and my even numbered are faster than target pace. But it averages out in the end - and the tailwind "break" is so enjoyable.
So the results were 10 x 1k w/2:45 rest between repeats at an average pace of 5:50 per mile. Average HR of 158. A warmup and cooldown complete the workout for a total of 10.23 miles. The weather was rain, dark, and about 34F. Wind from the southeast at 10mph or so. Here are the splits:
1. 3:45 (6:02 pace) 153 HR
2. 3:20 (5:22 pace) 159 HR
3. 3:42 (5:58 pace) 160 HR
4. 3:22 (5:25 pace) 159 HR
5. 3:48 (6:07 pace) 161 HR
6. 3:32 (5:42 pace) 154 HR
7. 3:52 (6:14 pace) 161 HR (shoe came untied)
8. 3:37 (5:50 pace) 151 HR
9. 3:46 (6:04 pace) 161 HR
10. 3:28 (5:35 pace) 158 HR
I began into the wind and ended with a tailwind. This accounts for the extreme variance of pace. But also, I tried to 'relax' a little as the workout progressed. My hamstrings were a little tight this morning and I wanted to be sure that I didn't do anything foolish. Also, the purpose of the workout is to get volume at 5:58, not beat the clock. You can see that lap #8 (with the wind) I was really relaxed (relative to the others).
All in all, pleased with the workout. Seven of the ten repeats had similar HR averages, so I think the effort was comparable for 70% of the workout. Looks like I took a little break on #6 & 8. I'll try to correct that next time.
At first, I was little troubled by my new Garmin. I had put the workout into the watch and included a 'target range'. Well, it was obvious from the beginning, that the watch and I were not going to be friends for very long. It was beeping at me for going too slow and then it beeped at me for going too fast. The trouble was, I couldn't read the message it was saying on the screen. Eventually, I did figure out that one message says "Speed up!" and the other says "Slow down!". But it wasn't helpful at the time.
I love the watch. And so far, the only flaw I can tell is that it doesn't have different tones for going too fast or going too slow. It's the same. Now you'd think I'd know by feel whether I was going too slow or too fast, and eventually I did. But at first I was one confused runner.
Also, the watch continually beeps at you if you're going too slow. But... if you're going too fast it bothers you only for a little while, then it gives up on you. So the first time that happened (lap 2), I thought I was 'in the zone' because of the silence. No dice. I was rocketing much too fast. At the end of that lap, I was worried that I might have ruined my workout.
But I didn't. The workout was completed, and it was done somewhat comfortably. I ran in the pitch dark on the airstrip. The length is 3/4 mile so I had plenty of room to do 10 x 1k without seeing where I was going. The trouble, however, is the wind. It's a headwind going out, and a tailwind coming back. Therefore, my odd numbered laps are slower than target pace, and my even numbered are faster than target pace. But it averages out in the end - and the tailwind "break" is so enjoyable.
So the results were 10 x 1k w/2:45 rest between repeats at an average pace of 5:50 per mile. Average HR of 158. A warmup and cooldown complete the workout for a total of 10.23 miles. The weather was rain, dark, and about 34F. Wind from the southeast at 10mph or so. Here are the splits:
1. 3:45 (6:02 pace) 153 HR
2. 3:20 (5:22 pace) 159 HR
3. 3:42 (5:58 pace) 160 HR
4. 3:22 (5:25 pace) 159 HR
5. 3:48 (6:07 pace) 161 HR
6. 3:32 (5:42 pace) 154 HR
7. 3:52 (6:14 pace) 161 HR (shoe came untied)
8. 3:37 (5:50 pace) 151 HR
9. 3:46 (6:04 pace) 161 HR
10. 3:28 (5:35 pace) 158 HR
I began into the wind and ended with a tailwind. This accounts for the extreme variance of pace. But also, I tried to 'relax' a little as the workout progressed. My hamstrings were a little tight this morning and I wanted to be sure that I didn't do anything foolish. Also, the purpose of the workout is to get volume at 5:58, not beat the clock. You can see that lap #8 (with the wind) I was really relaxed (relative to the others).
All in all, pleased with the workout. Seven of the ten repeats had similar HR averages, so I think the effort was comparable for 70% of the workout. Looks like I took a little break on #6 & 8. I'll try to correct that next time.
posted by Andrew at 9:55 AM
3 Comments:
That's some serious speed. Nice job! Like any technological marvel, I'm sure it's just a matter of getting used to its little quirks.
On a somewhat separate note, any worries at all about airplanes landing on your head?
And when you relax, you speed up? That's quite a workout in the dark. The Garmin takes some getting used to but it is a nice toy.
So far, only 1 plane has landed while I've been running on the airstrip. I heard it though and ran off to the side in plenty of time. This morning the lights would have came on and that would have been my clue...
Not much traffic really, maybe in the middle of the day and on weekends.
And Michael, I was trying to relax - meaning not push or pull a muscle but run smoothly. I could feel those hamstrings. Lots of fun with the Garmin. It made running in the dark a little more bearable and certainly, this workout would not have been possible on the flat airstrip without it.
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