Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Tempo Intervals Take 3

So today was my third tempo workout. My entire training this time-around has been totally different for me. Now, I am doing *really* short tempo intervals. Previously, I started tempo runs at 3 miles and peaked around 9.

Intervals are sweet. I embrace them. Yet, they are definitely a very different beast.

Pacing of tempo / lactate threshold is very important. You don't want to rush it, you want to hit that sweet spot to push your fitness higher. As a type A person, this is tough. My first go-round, I did great because they were .5 mile repeats. If I went too fast I could easily adjust and hit nice paces. Bonus: great HR range too. Success. Attempt # 2 was more of a fail. I had 12 x .25 mile repeats. Go out too fast; slow down too much; sprint = not good. And I never quite got it right. Well Mother Nature gave me a hand today.

The coach did too as the repeats were .75 miles, but it was also 0 degrees when I got up and colder than that with the windchill. Add in darkness and slippery, gunky roads = hello treadmill.

Now ya'll know I b*thc/wihne about the treadmill. But darn I was happy this morning to throw on some shorts, fire up the TM (and fan) and know that I would be hitting steady paces. I did not have my heart rate monitor because the TM is in the basement. If I take it down there, I get non-stop "no signal" messages. But I felt good. Relaxed.

Good stuff. And I hit my paces with no problems.

Tomorrow morning when I wake it will be -20. BRRRRRRRR. Sorry treadmill I ever complained. I <3 you. :)

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