13 January 2011

Fast Train to Bedtime

And with a cry of 
"As fast as possible!"

They're off...

 



The other night I drew inspiration from my children.  I put them to bed and set out for my 'tempo' run.  I am following an Automated Training Program, and it was Tempo Night.

That morning my fabulous and thoughtful husband picked up a watch for me.  A running watch.  So that I could time myself without getting hurt.  I'd been using my cellphone for music and timing... it is rather large and I carry it in a protective, velcro-fastened pouch so I don't break it.  I usually run in the dark, and when I fumble around while getting the phone out of the pouch, sometimes I trip and I always slow down and it is just a drag.  So now I have a groovy watch!  I spent 5 minutes reviewing the instructions and another 15 trying to fold the 'manual' back up so that it would fit into the little watchbox, stretched out and away I went.

While I am apparently really crappy at figuring out how fast I am running overall, I am really good at maintaining a steady pace.  I used to have that knack even in rowing... the Human Metronome.  My Automated Training Program wants me to run this 2-mile tempo run at "10K pace" which they have determined to be 9:30/mile.  The bad news is I did not hit that number.  The good news is I did the 2 miles in 16:50.  And it felt like a push but definitely not like all I had... it felt right.  So I am getting faster.  A month ago, my mile time-trial was 8:17... and that was a balls-to-the-wall, haul-ass-fast, kill myself for that mile kind of feeling.  Yay.

I have 4 months to be able to run 8 min miles for 7.46 miles... with hills ... in order to match my fantasy goal.  Sometimes the process is just too slow for impatient me!

6 comments:

  1. You have plenty of time to get fast and it sounds like you're doing a great job! I really want t new watch too- mine cost about 11 dollars and the stopwatch stops at 59:59. Hmmmmm? And that's its only feature- not cool!

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  2. Awesome! Sounds like a great run...I have been using the treadmill at the gym to pace my intervals and when spring hits I am going to need a watch too. What do you think of yours?

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  3. I really like the watch so far. It can do 50 laps (lol... as if) and it does intervals (which was a key selling point for me). It also tells the regular time (!) and lights up in the dark. It has been a long time since I've had a watch. It's a Timex Triathlon or Ironman or something like that... pretty sleek even though I got the guys model because the numbers and buttons are bigger. Retailed for about $65.

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  4. But you're getting there...a little more each day. Good for you!

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  5. So glad you had a good run! :) This video is priceless. So happy. And I love your youngest just toddling around! How old?

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  6. Thanks, Kristy!

    And Amanda, she is going to be 2 in March. This video was in October, I think. So I 'cheated' a little ;-)

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