Tempo Run - Out & Backs

Today's Workout: 4 x 2 min Out & Back

Warm up  - .63 mi - 6:32 (10:28 pace)

Out #1 - 0.2 (10:02 pace)
Back in 1:48 (8:59 pace)

Out #2 - 0.19 (10:24 pace)
Back in 1:54 (9:45 pace)

Out #3 - 0.18 (11:23 pace) - ended up walking for about 20" due to cough attack
Back in 1:49 (10:08 pace)

Out #4 - 0.18 (11:02 pace) - another cough attack, walked about 12-15"
Back in 1:55 (10:21 pace)

Cool down - .69 mi - 9:03 (13:04 pace) - walked for 3 mins, jogged rest of the way

This workout kicked my butt this evening. There is definitely a huge difference in doing these on fresh legs verse tired legs!  My legs felt "heavy" after yesterday's indoor bike workout and I just couldn't keep the coughing under control. I guess the cooler temps (64°), very dry air (34% humidity) and windy (15 mph) conditions was just making it worse. I was going against the wind on the way out and with the wind coming back which of course made it a little easier to run faster on the way back, but I was still finding it tough to run a sub 10 min pace on fatigued legs.

With that said, I will try this same workout again on Thursday after my rest day tomorrow and see if it goes any better than it did today.

Run total = 3.0 miles in 35 mins, 11:41 average pace

Today's Trifecta

I'm not sure how this happened, but it did. I guess I was just feeling good today.

Lunch time swim - Warmed up with 4 x 50s which were slow going because the water was cold today, I'm guessing it was 78° or colder than that. I got cold shock when I jumped in so the first 25 yards, I swam without putting my face in the water. Then my 400 TT which was 8:30, not bad and already significant improvement since January when it was above 10 minutes. Then 4 x 75 on TT pace with 20" rest. 200 steady and 100 cool down. Overall it was a great swim but with the water really cold, I felt a little sluggish at times.

Evening brick - 10 miles on the indoor bike at the YMCA which is way harder than riding outdoors. First you're always pedaling and there is no downhills to coast/recover on. I did set it on level 5 and on random mode to simulate hills. I was soaked with sweat by the time I finished in 43:50.

Then I decided to try out the 1/16th mile indoor track in the gym. OMG, it was so hot in there, it had to be close to 90°. It felt like a sauna but I still ran anyways. I could only manage a mile with it being so hot in there and finished in 10:40. I walked lap 4, 8 and 12 and ran the rest.

Race Report: Greer Earth Day 10K

First, let me explain that I have been sick, okay not really sick but suffering from severe allergy symptoms for about a week now nor did I train for this race. My longest run in the past 3 months was only 4 miles and yet for some crazy reason, I still decided to do this race. Why? Because sometimes I need a tough race to remind me that even when I feel like crap and feel like there is no way I can accomplish something because (fill in the blank), I can still push through it and succeed! In fact, I will dub this race as my "No Excuses 10K"

I went into today's race not expecting a great time but really just to finish. I did have a race plan though. Take it easy for the first 10 minutes and let the field spread out some before I started with my run 2 minutes / walk 1 minute intervals and for 4 miles that actually worked out quite well.

During the first mile, I already knew I was in for a long battle of not being able to breath properly. By mile 3, I was already struggling with lightheadedness and really needing water badly as the mucus in my throat kept getting thicker and thicker. I kept pressing on knowing that there had to be a water station coming up soon. Finally about 1/2 mile later I came to the water station but to my surprise there was no water left! Ugh! I tried to push on, but from that point on, it pretty much became a sufferfest and there were a few times where I felt like I was either going to pass out or be sick. The miles just seemed to get longer and longer and every step it just got harder and harder to breath.

The last 2 miles felt like an eternity and I cursed up every hill. I wanted this race to be over with and now! I seriously considered giving up at one point but at that very moment, a half marathoner passes me and gives me some much needed words of encouragement, then another and another. I finally made the second to last turn and saw there was one last hill to conquer. I tried to jog up it but I was gasping for air and was forced to walk. I made the final turn, saw the finish line just ahead and jogged through it, finishing in a very slow time of 1:18:20.

After my race,  my legs felt really good and not a single blister which was a surprise since I haven't done any long runs leading up to this race. Of course I will always wonder how well I would of ran this race if it wasn't for my allergies and I guess I'll have to wait until next year to find out.

Mile Splits = 10:11, 10:59, 12;29, 12:58, 13;55, 13:16

 

Tempo Run - Out & Backs

Today's Workout: 3 x 2 min Out & Back

Warm up - 7 mins - jog

Out #1 - 0.21 (9:32 pace)
Back in 1:58 (9:14 pace)

Out #2 - 0.21 (9:41 pace)
Back in 1:54 (9:02 pace)

Out #3 - 0.20 (9:57 pace)
Back in 1:53 (9:12 pace)

Cool down - 8 mins - walked for 90 secs, jogged for 5 mins, walked for 90 secs.

I felt great on the first out & back but I could feel myself slowing down significantly with about a minute still to go. The second out & back I thought I was going to be sick by the time I finished it. I pushed it a little too hard at the start which forced me to slow it down before I even got to the turn around point. The third interval was down right painful...but in a good way. I probably did these a bit too fast since by the time I got done with the third one, I was done and couldn't of done another one, at least not at a sub 10 min pace.

Also these past 5 days I have been suffering from severe allergy symptoms. Lightheadedness, sneezing, runny nose, itchy throat and a very annoying barking cough. Everything but the cough is gone. I went to the doctor on Monday and was given a cortisone shot and just started taking hydrocodone for this annoying barking cough today. Ironcially though, I didn't cough much during my run, just when I was walking which gave me a little extra motivation to run more and walk less.

Run total = 2.67 miles in 30 mins, 11:15 average pace

Lunch Swim

Today was my first visit to the new Thomas E. Hannah YMCA! The facility is nice but being that it just opened up 3 days ago, it was a bit crowded. The pool is 6 lanes, 25 yards and felt somewhat small after swimming in a 50 meter pool the last few times.

Since I forgot my workout card, I decided to just keep it simple. Started out with 4 x 50 warm up focusing on form and body position. Then I did 8 x 100 yard at 2 min pace with 30" rest. I didn't really need the 30" rest but it was just easier to keep time and track of my laps this way. I felt really good and was dead on consistent for all eight 100s! Then did 6 x 50 as a cool down with bilateral breathing every other lap.

It felt great to be back in the water again and I got in a solid 1,300 yard swim in 35 mins. My goal is to swim at lunch (30-35 mins) 2-3 days a week and that way I won't have to worry about trying to fit it in on my super busy weekends!

But one thing I love about this new YMCA is they have everything you need. Towels, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, lotion and plenty of hair dryers so all I need to bring is my swimsuit, swim cap, googles and flip flops! Starting May 1st they will have food delivery service where you can place your order when you arrive and it will be waiting for you when you leave. Lunch time workouts can't get any easier than that!

Race Report: Palmetto Hearts 5K

With severe allergy symptoms (sneezing, running nose, itchy throat), I almost decided not to do this race but it was for a great cause. It benefited Palmetto Hearts who serves and supports South Carolinian’s touched by Congenital Heart Defects and Diseases. Believing individuals’ and families’ needs vary as greatly as the CHDs affecting them, we offer several types of support—emotional, informational, social, and financial. Through such efforts, we hope to share the trials and celebrate the joys of loving someone with a CHD.

So I went with no real goal or race plan in place, just finish. I arrived at the race site about 45 mins before the start of the race and there was already a single line for pre-registrations. The line took forever! I don't know why they didn't split the line by last name but it took nearly 20 mins for me finally get my number and packet pickup. I don't think they expected the high turnout, over 250 runners and walkers for an inaugural race is pretty darn great and I love that so I didn't really mind that the start was delayed because of that.

The race started around 9:15 and the first mile which is all downhill was pretty easy. I kept it at a nice relaxed pace knowing about the hill in the second mile but I still ended up having to walk partially up that hill. Did good going down it through and to the start of the last mile. At that point I was having a hard time breathing and really struggling to maintain my pace so I reverted back to what my coach told me and did 45 strides with 30 rest. Of course going up hill that even prooved to be tough. At one point I felt like I was going to throw up but luckily I didn't. I finally made it to the finish line but much slower than I would liked. Oh well, like I said, I didn't really have a goal knowing that my allergies would be slowing me down.

Mile 1 - 9:34
Mile 2 - 10:52
Mile 3 - 12:53

Official time = 34:48 (11:04 average pace)

Overall: 95th out of 258

Age Group: 8th out of 30

Running Intervals

Started out with a 6 min warm up walk with seat kicks and high knees to get loose. Everything was tight...calves, hips, quads, ankles, etc. so I wanted to spend a little extra time making sure my body was ready to run.

Then I started running and felt pretty good so I ran 4 mins averaging a 9:04 pace. Recovered with a 2 min walk to the bottom of the steep hill then ran up it (9:04 pace in 37 secs). By the top I got to the top, I could barely breathe so I took another 2 min recovery walk. Decided from that point on to just alternate 60 secs fast running with 60 secs of walking.

My average pace for the 1 min run intervals were 9:05, 10:00, 9:11, 8:20, 8:26, 8:18, 8:15, 7:40 and 7:50 although the last 6 were slightly downhill which is why for the sudden drop in pace between the 3rd and 4th interval but still it was a nice progression to get my legs used to running fast again.

Then I wanted to simulate Saturday's race course which has a long gradual uphill finish so I did an easy jog down a gradual hill then a fast uphill finish at 9:18 pace the last quarter mile.

Overall: 3.32 miles in 41:40 (12:24 average pace)

Run intervals only: 2.12 miles in 18:55 (8:55 average pace)

So I think my game plan for Saturday's 5K will be to start out with a 5 min moderate jog to let the field spread out a bit before I start my 2 min run / 1 min walk intervals trying to stay under a 9 min pace for the run intervals and just see what happens.

Horseshoe Loop

Monday's group ride and only 3 of us in the C group so for the most part we were able to ride our own pace. But boy was it windy! And why does it always feel like you either have a headwind or a cross wind but never a tailwind? Still even with the wind, it was a great ride!

Heart Rate Zone Distribution

Z1 - Endurance	0-105	0:41	1%
Z2 - Moderate	105-138	53:53	55%
Z3 - Tempo	138-155	40:42	41%
Z4 - Threshold	155-172	3:34	4%
Z5 - Anaerobic	172+	0:00	0%

Total = 20.81 miles / 1:38:23 / 12.7 mph avg

Swim at Westside Aquatic

Today's Workout

• 4 x 100m warm up (2:30, 2:28, 2:20, 2:18)


• 300m of 50m 3-stroke breathing / 50m catch up / 50m swim


• 200m of 25m corkscrew kick drills / 25m swim


• 100m at moderate pace (2:19)


• 4 x 100 at last pace in warm up with 10-20" rest (2:14, 2:16, 2:20, 2:20)


• 300m bilateral breathing cool down

The water temp was around 80 degrees and to help deal with cold shock during my triathlon (the Middle Tyger YMCA pool is between 76-78 degrees), I decided to just jump in instead of slowly ease into the water as I normally do. It worked, it didn't take nearly as long to get used to the water as it normally takes so progress there.

I felt sluggish during the warm up being I haven't been in the pool in nearly 2 months but after about 200m, it all started coming back to me again.

The 3-stroke breathing was interesting. It felt so awkward to breathe on my left side and I notice I lift my head up further out of the water when breathing to my left so that's definitively something I need to work on more.

Then the corkscrew kicking drill which was extremely awkward at first. You start on your back kicking and then rotate 1/4th turn to kick for a few minutes. It was the breathing that was hardest.

Then 100m at moderate pace which was a slow 2:19 so I must of been getting tired at that point although I didn't feel tired. I think it was more from not getting much pool time in the last 2 months.

Then the 4 x 100s which were swam at a 2:14, 20" rest, 2:16, 15" rest, 2:20, 10" rest, 2:20. I felt stronger/faster the last 200 meters but my watch said differently. I guess I slowed down without realizing it but it had to be my arms getting tired because I felt like I could of swam another 400m at that pace from a stamina standpoint.

Then cool down which felt super easy.

Overall, I'm pretty surprised that I don't loose much time from not hitting the pool during the off-season and know that in just 4-6 weeks, I can get back down to a 2:00 / 100m pace fairly easy if I can get to the pool twice a week.