Thursday, November 27, 2008

A Lunch Time Combo

Today's scheduled run? A tempo run/hill repeat combo. Warm up, run 3 x 1:00 hill repeats, run 15:00 at a tempo pace, then run 3 more 1:00 hill repeats, cool down. Sounds like good times, eh? It was 2°C and nice and sunny out over lunch, so there was a part of me that contemplated running in capris. Ultimately I wussed out and went with the running tights, which was probably the smarter option.
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Last night I spent a good amount of time setting up my workouts in the Garmin Training Center for the next three weeks, plus inputting pace ranges for steady state and tempo runs. Except I only altered a couple of pace zones and left a few of the default ones in there. This would cause some issues later...
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I ran for 15 minutes to warm up and I sort of forgot that for the next five minutes I was supposed to alternate 1 minute of hard running with 2 minutes of easy running. I completely forgot about it and started running hill repeats. That is what happens when you don't look at your Garmin when it beeps at you... So I accidentally got in two bonus hill repeats. My first -- five -- hill repeats were good. I pushed hard and was ready for my 15 minutes at a tempo pace. When I started running Garmin said I was at an easy jog and kept telling me to slow down. Apparently an easy jog to Garmin means anywhere between a 8:00 - 10:00/mi pace. My tempo pace is somewhere between 9:17 - 9:45...apparently. And the way my Garmin is set up it doesn't actually tell me my pace per lap, so I had no idea where I was falling in this range. But I knew that if I slowed down it would be too easy so I just ran at what I thought was a hard pace and tried to ignore Garmin frantically beeping at me for 15 minutes telling me to slow down. I got back to the hill for my remaining three hill repeats and my legs were feeling it on that first repeat. I was slow... For the second repeat there were two ladies in front of me a bit, and I imagined that I tied a rope around them and that they were pulling me up the hill. I used this technique on the third repeat and it is amazing how much it helps! I ran at a very easy pace to cool down. Once I was done I found a bench that I could use for my strength workout - 3 x 0:45 each of step ups, lunges, squats, and tricep dips. I normally add in hamstring curls on a ball (but alas, no ball today) and push ups, but it was a bit cold for those so I fit those in later. Otherwise, here are the details:
  • Accidental hill repeat #1: 10:13/mi
  • Accidental hill repeat #2: 9:47/mi
  • Hill repeat #1: 9:32/mi
  • Hill repeat #2: 10:35/mi
  • Hill repeat #3: 9:59/mi
  • Tempo run: 15:00 at 9:00/mi
  • Hill repeat #4: 10:46/mi
  • Hill repeat #5: 10:03/mi
  • Hill repeat #6: 10:18/mi

6 comments:

Sonia said...

You're fast on the hill repeat! I wish I could use my garmin for running... ;-)

We tried setting up the trainer today, well setting it up was no issue.... BUT changing the tire was!! And cleaning the chain!!

I am not able to remove my chain to clean it, even though I know where the master thingy is.

My Dad replace the tire with the old one but we can't inflate the tube because he pierced it...

Taking care of a bike is hard work LOL

Mel-2nd Chances said...

Great job on the workout! I had no idea that can do so much with the Garmin and GTC... i'll have to play around with that a bit more and experiment once i start adding in some speedwork! Sounds like you had a great workout though! Love the little circuit at the end too! Awesome :)

Scott said...

Love the accidental hill repeats!

Speed Racer said...

Wow, sounds like a killer workout! I'm going to have to steal that visualization about someone pulling me up the hill.

I'm so impressed that you actually know how to program your Garmin. I barely know how to turn the thing on!

Marlene said...

Holy, that sounds complicated! The number look great - nice workout!

I should really figure out how to use the workout functions on my Garmin!

rocketpants said...

nice job on the hill repeats! And in the cold!