3 miles in 29 minutes
Well, yesterday I decided to push myself and ran 3 miles in 29 minutes (actually finished off the 5k distance at that pace but 29 minutes sounds better). According to my running log that's the fastest 3 miles (or any distance over 1 mile) I've ever run! That's 6.2mph over 3 miles and the previous fastest was 6.0.
When I got done I felt really good. I did have to push at the end to keep the pace up, but wasn't on the verge of death :) My heart rate topped out at 175 - which is tolerable. I used to push my HR to 180 & 185 when I first started running several years ago so I know I can handle it at least for a short period of time. I had set 185 as my stop HR and didn't even get close.
I guess for speed workouts like that I'm glad I have the treadmill to use. That lets me push myself harder than I could outside, then if it turns out to be too much, I can just turn it off and get off. I have no interest in long runs on the treadmill (anything over 5 miles) but for short runs it does have some advantages.
As I've already mentioned I'm planning on running the Lincoln 1/2 marathon and then later the Chicago full marathon. For the Lincoln 1/2 I wanted to focus on my speed and get my time down as much as possible before I started to train for Chicago. I think what I'm going to do is Monday's do my interval training (varying speed up and down), Wednesdays try to push myself faster (I think 6.3mph is achievable next week) and the Saturday's to do my long run at a slower pace. 2:10 or even 2:15 would make me happy at the Lincoln 1/2 marathon.
Now to go lift a few weights, sit-ups, and push-ups. (the other part of my training)
When I got done I felt really good. I did have to push at the end to keep the pace up, but wasn't on the verge of death :) My heart rate topped out at 175 - which is tolerable. I used to push my HR to 180 & 185 when I first started running several years ago so I know I can handle it at least for a short period of time. I had set 185 as my stop HR and didn't even get close.
I guess for speed workouts like that I'm glad I have the treadmill to use. That lets me push myself harder than I could outside, then if it turns out to be too much, I can just turn it off and get off. I have no interest in long runs on the treadmill (anything over 5 miles) but for short runs it does have some advantages.
As I've already mentioned I'm planning on running the Lincoln 1/2 marathon and then later the Chicago full marathon. For the Lincoln 1/2 I wanted to focus on my speed and get my time down as much as possible before I started to train for Chicago. I think what I'm going to do is Monday's do my interval training (varying speed up and down), Wednesdays try to push myself faster (I think 6.3mph is achievable next week) and the Saturday's to do my long run at a slower pace. 2:10 or even 2:15 would make me happy at the Lincoln 1/2 marathon.
Now to go lift a few weights, sit-ups, and push-ups. (the other part of my training)