i was fierce. i was a lioness!
Scheduled tempo run for today was EXCELLENT!Mileage: 3.1 miles
Overall time: 28:56 min
Avg pace: 9:18 min/mi
As happy as I am about the time and the pace, it technically doesn't count because I ran on a treadmill. It won't count until I'm outdoors trying to regulate my own pace without the aid of the treadmill belt forcing me to run fast. However, I'm still excited because I think that's about the fastest I have run, EVER! Not counting high school of course, when I was a svelte gazelle. haha
I tried to be smart about the whole deal.
I fueled up with a banana and hydrated 20 minutes before my warmup.
I walked for 4 minutes and moderately jogged for 5 minutes.
Then I stretched out for a good 5-6 minutes and especially tried to loosen up my inner thigh muscles. I don't know what they're called but I'm sure they're critical for speed. They've been the first to get sore after a long run and a speed workout.
I ran 5k.
Then cooled down by jogging for 3 minutes at an approximate pace of 12:30 min/mile. I walked for another three minutes.
Quickly rehydrated with water. (I forgot my Gatorade bottle at home!)
Stretched for 10 minutes.
Rode my bike home and ate a cup of yogurt and downed a cup of Gatorade within the 60-min interval needed for optimal muscle repair and recovery. (Thanks Runner's World!)
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The thing about this tempo run was that I felt like I could have gone faster but my inner thigh muscles were forbidding it. I don't think they're adequately prepared for high speed yet as this is only my second week running. I'm obeying what they say the limit is because nothing sucks as much as NOT running at all due to muscle injury.
I always listen to every indication of pain and try to evaluate it as "good" pain or "bad" pain. I want to be a fast runner and a great endurance runner but it's imperative to me to train smart.
Phil, my usual pace for a 5k is about 9:50-10:00 min/mile. FYI, hehe.
As for the title of this entry, I found myself repeating that mantra in my head as I was nearing the final half mile. I had a bit too much biology leftover in my noggin from my class that I imagined that I was a lioness and that my cubs were in danger by a predator. Saving them from death and ultimately preventing my own individual fitness (survival and gene transfer) from decreasing, I had to save those cubs!! My genes must live on!! I thought. haha
So I ran hard and fast--to save my imaginary cubs.
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SATURDAY, JUNE 17
As for today, I wanted to get up early to hike Piestewa Peak but Hubster and I ended up going swimming(leisure) last night. We didn't end up going to bed until almost midnight so waking up at 4:30 am was out of the question.
So today, I will be doing the elliptical in place of running.
Good day, all!
More later but for me, that is whooping fast!!
etched in stone by carmen @ 4:17 PM
4 Comments:
Carmin .. great pace for an up-tempo 5k. Did you run this in the middle of the day? Also, did you remember to run a cool down? I finally figured out that a short cool down (take a couple of minutes per mile off the pace) for a mile or so after an up-tempo run will do wonders for shaking the lactic acid out of your legs.
Great run
Phil
Thanks Phil! I ran the 5k on the treadmill after I got out of class at 2:30 pm. I cooled down for about 5 minutes. Three minutes jogging, two fast walking. What is sufficient for a cooldown?
Hi Carmen, I don't know what the exact number is and I don't know anything about your avg 5k Race pace, so I can't tell how hard you were pushing yesterday; however, I usually plan on a 1 mile cool down at a recovery pace (2.5 to 3 min/mile slower than my race pace) followed by a few minutes of walking. This seems to work for me.
The real test of course is how you felt this morning. If you weren't sore, then then your cool down was probably right for you.
Good luck training for your next 5k. What time are you trying to hit?
Phil
Hey Carmen,
Way to go on your tempo run. Rock on!
So for the 5k on July 1, just remember the back half is downhill save for a slight dip up when you hit the guard gate coming back. If you are semi-conservative you can really let it rip after the turnaround.
Of course Phil will be leaving us both in the dust with his 23 minutes or better.
I'll be bringing up the rear with a goal "to finish". Last year I finished in 32:30. I'm looking to finish in 35 or under this year.
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