Wednesday, October 11, 2006
The Need for Speed
Today's Run: 3m
Run Time: 25:18 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 36.8
Thoughts on the Run:
This morning, I felt the need for speed. After plotting my runs I realized I wasn't really doing much with pace, but sticking around a 10:00 minute mile. While I have emphasized that I'm going for distance, keeping my pace up is definitely an important part of training.
I decided I'll take a split strategy and start modifying my runs. The first mid-sized run I'll work on aggressive downhills and take it easy on the flats and uphills. The middle (short distance) I'll start working pace and use the second mid-distance run to attack the hills aggressively and take longer time downhill/flat to recover.
After researching most of the ultras (and heck, a lot of marathons for that matter, too) hills are going to be an important part.
So, this run I decided to kick it up a notch. I started out with just under a 9-minute pace but that felt slow, so I knocked it down to an 8:30 pace. Then, I got bold and kicked it up to 7:30 for a half mile and then back down for an average of 8:26 over the entire run. It felt great and I had a lot left over so I definitely think 8:30 is a good pace for shorter runs.
The run was on my treadmill at 6 in the morning. I followed it with a nice shake and some healthy fats. Been grazing on nutrition bars and my wife's signature black bean chili throughout the day. I am immensely excited about tomorrow's 4.5-mile loop, although I must admit the prospect of running it at 5am doesn't thrill me. I have to get it done with so I can get downtown for a customer meeting. Oh well, I should get used to it - the longer runs are going to require even earlier morning starts so this is just a step on the ladder.
After looking over everything, I think I have a tentative candidate for the 50-miler. It's a race that is purported to be "easy" as 50-milers go, meaning not as rough and tough up and down etc as most other races. It's one of the few ultras where a crew and pacers are generally considered not needed, and is cool enough that hydration are electrolytes aren't as big a concern (yes, they are VERY important and will be factored in, but it's not like other hot races where a high percentage DNF due to sweating all their sodium out).
The time of year is right, too, because it happens later in the year, giving me some time to work up to it after the marathon. It's also near Washington, D.C., and my wife and I are planning on taking our daughter there next year. She's at the age where she'll have a blast and learn lots on a trip to our capitol.
The run is the JFK 50 Mile. I'll continue to learn more about it because if it does become my definite goal, I want to start learning the course, splits, times, read the trail reports, etc, and come into it as knowledgeable as I can.
Looking forward to sharing tomorrow's run,
Jeremy Likness
Run Time: 25:18 minutes
Total Miles to Date: 36.8
Thoughts on the Run:
This morning, I felt the need for speed. After plotting my runs I realized I wasn't really doing much with pace, but sticking around a 10:00 minute mile. While I have emphasized that I'm going for distance, keeping my pace up is definitely an important part of training.
I decided I'll take a split strategy and start modifying my runs. The first mid-sized run I'll work on aggressive downhills and take it easy on the flats and uphills. The middle (short distance) I'll start working pace and use the second mid-distance run to attack the hills aggressively and take longer time downhill/flat to recover.
After researching most of the ultras (and heck, a lot of marathons for that matter, too) hills are going to be an important part.
So, this run I decided to kick it up a notch. I started out with just under a 9-minute pace but that felt slow, so I knocked it down to an 8:30 pace. Then, I got bold and kicked it up to 7:30 for a half mile and then back down for an average of 8:26 over the entire run. It felt great and I had a lot left over so I definitely think 8:30 is a good pace for shorter runs.
The run was on my treadmill at 6 in the morning. I followed it with a nice shake and some healthy fats. Been grazing on nutrition bars and my wife's signature black bean chili throughout the day. I am immensely excited about tomorrow's 4.5-mile loop, although I must admit the prospect of running it at 5am doesn't thrill me. I have to get it done with so I can get downtown for a customer meeting. Oh well, I should get used to it - the longer runs are going to require even earlier morning starts so this is just a step on the ladder.
After looking over everything, I think I have a tentative candidate for the 50-miler. It's a race that is purported to be "easy" as 50-milers go, meaning not as rough and tough up and down etc as most other races. It's one of the few ultras where a crew and pacers are generally considered not needed, and is cool enough that hydration are electrolytes aren't as big a concern (yes, they are VERY important and will be factored in, but it's not like other hot races where a high percentage DNF due to sweating all their sodium out).
The time of year is right, too, because it happens later in the year, giving me some time to work up to it after the marathon. It's also near Washington, D.C., and my wife and I are planning on taking our daughter there next year. She's at the age where she'll have a blast and learn lots on a trip to our capitol.
The run is the JFK 50 Mile. I'll continue to learn more about it because if it does become my definite goal, I want to start learning the course, splits, times, read the trail reports, etc, and come into it as knowledgeable as I can.
Looking forward to sharing tomorrow's run,
Jeremy Likness
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