My legs were not fresh today. I had a plan to run 5 miles fast... a plan to PR my 5 mile loop. It was supposed to be a key workout. But yesterday I ran 8 miles at a medium pace and now my legs did not have spring... But I've run hard on tired legs before so I figured I'd give it a go and see what I could do.
I warmed up first with 2.62 miles @ 7:38 pace (20 minutes). 7:38 pace today, felt like 7:20 pace did yesterday... but after I finished warming up and doing a bit of extra stretching and leg swings I wasn't feeling too bad... What the heck, lets give it a go.
MILE 1: That first mile is always toughest. Trying to feel out a pace I'm not accustomed to. Fast, but not so fast that I blowup. Something I can sustain for 5 miles. Plus the first half mile is a gradual uphill. Just enough to make you work a little harder and play mind games with the pace/effort levels. Once I hit the half mile point and it flattens out it suddenly feels easier and at the same time the pace drops... that's always a good feeling anyway. I hit that first mile in 6:09. Off to a good start but was it sustainable?
MILE 2: If mile 1 is a mind game, mile 2 is a mind fuck! The first half mile is two super steep hills. Down, then up, down, then up. Pounding the legs on the down hill, trying not to brake while staying in control, holding form, and absorbing the impact. Then up a hill. High cadence, high knees, work the arms but stay relaxed. Then down again. Then up an even longer hill; basically sprinting form at this pace. And as I crest it, my legs are burning but I'm not actually breathing that hard and my HRs in control so now its just about relaxing and holding the pace for the next 1/2 mile which is a gradual uphill. The gradual uphill feels okay relative to the steep uphill I just crested, but the legs are still burning, making me question how I'm going to keep this up for 3.5 more miles? Time for my own mind games... don't worry about 3.5 more miles, just power through to the 2 mile mark and see where we're at from there. Mile 2 is 6:17.
MILE 3: The "back stretch". The first half mile might still be a slight uphill but it's practically flat. The 2nd half mile is mostly downhill with a small hill at the end to make up for it. Really focused on staying relaxed here; holding form, turning the legs over and standing tall. The mind games continue as I question if I should turn early and cut it to 4... is 5 over doing it? But I talk myself into continuing on... I can still cut it to 4 on the 5 mile course and "jog it in"... if I bank enough time, I can slow down the last mile or 2 and still keep it under 6:30, right?!?. High knees and sprint form up the last hill, hitting the 3rd mile in 6:16.
MILE 4: The legs are still burning but not too bad... I'm not slowing down and I could probably pick up the pace if I really wanted to, except I'm not really want to... Perfectly content with holding the pace I'm at... sub 6:10-6:20 is the goal anyway and I'm hitting it. Pretty much at LT pace I'd conjecture and still not breathing hard. And now there's only 2 miles left and I get to withdraw that elevation I banked in the first 2 miles... I tell myself to just hold pace til 4, still playing those games but in the back of my mind there's less and less doubt that I'm going to nail the full 5 now. I hit that 4th mile in 6:12 and the 4th mile at 24:53... a new 4 mile PR by about 10 seconds!!!
MILE 5: Now just a mile left to go. It's all about holding form now... legs and body are getting tired but still not breathing hard and my stomach is not cramping at all (YEAY!!!). I catch myself slump a couple times and focus on standing tall, keeping the arms relaxed, and engaging the core; calling upon all the extra core work I've been doing and I can feel that it's payed off. I'm doing great til 4.75 and as I turn the corner towards my house things suddenly feel harder than they've felt all run. With the finish line in sight and a 1/4 mile to go my mind wants to stop?!? I power through and finish strong. Last mile 6:09 with a sprint finish.
Final Stats:
31:05
6:13 pace
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