Need for Speed

Ah- so I missed putting up a post yesterday. It really is tough when things like your job get in the way of blogging. I will do my best to catch you up in one quick blog as I do need to focus on the task at hand, which, unfortunately is NOT blogging about training for a marathon but is educating the leaders of tomorrow!

Yesterday was speed interval day. Oh yes, one of my most favourite types of training. I really can't say why I love it, but maybe its because speed day is a bit of a shorter run that I really, really push myself on. I have done all different types of speed intervals and as any runner will tell you there are a variety of ways that you can work this into your training. One of the advantages of interval training, in my opinion, is that it really works your mental game. After all, being oxygen deprived and trying to force your legs to keep on truckin' is really mind over matter much like running hills and stairs are.

Anyhow, for the first time ever I did my speed intervals outside. It was a beautiful day here yesterday and there was no way possible I could ever justify being on a track or treadmill with weather like that so off I went. My speed interval run yesterday included ascending speed (getting faster) with descending time (getting shorter) and looked something like this...

10 minute warm up
8 minute sprint
2 minute recovery
7 minute sprint
2 minute recovery
6 minute sprint
2 minute recovery
5 minute sprint
2 minute recovery
4 minute sprint
2 minute recovery
3 minute sprint
Warm down

I know an 8 minute sprint sounds crazy, but it's NOT an all out, 100% effort, run like a crazy person dash. What you need to do is run at the fastest speed that YOU can sustain for 8 minutes. And like I keep reiterating, this is very different for everyone depending on where you're at in your training. The end result, however, should be the same for everyone- the last few moments of that sprint should HURT- lungs burning, legs heavy and sore, mind forcing your body to keep going HURT. I fully believe in this type of training because for sure there will be moments in the 26.2 where you will feel just like this. It is important to let your body know that it can get through this and recover, and having a strong mental game and a belief in your training is a big part of this.

Good luck with this type of running...it is challenging, but you can all do it. OOOOOhhhh- and before I forget- day off of running for me today, just some yoga as the legs as starting to ask for it. And then tomorrow off for another long one- probably about 2:45. I probably won't blog again until after the long weekend when I will seriously need to recommit to health and fitness, so enjoy your weekend; hopefully you will have some time for a run in between the May long festivities!