Well, the weather has been changing here in Memphis pretty regularly. We have snow one day, the next it is 45 degrees, then 2 days later we have more snow followed by 50 degree weather. It's crazy! I have really started getting excited about my running, especially after seeing that I have not lost as much speed as I figured I would after my layoff. I want to get faster though.
One of my goals this year is to not bonk after the bike going into the run. The only way I know to fix that is to focus on my running, which means doing a lot of running. Intervals have always seemed to be the best way to get speed; I know they work in the pool, so I am applying that thinking to my running.
Yesterday, before the snow fell, I went to the gym and grabbed the last treadmill available. I tried to figure out the interval setting on it, but I did something wrong. They should provide manuals with each machine. Since I could not figure it out, I went with the old standby of just changing the speeds manually.
I decided to start with ¼ mile intervals. My slow recovery (sounds better) speeds were 10 minute miles and my fast speeds were 7:40 minute miles. So every ¼ mile I was changing the speed setting on the treadmill. I did this for 3.5 miles.
It actually wasn't bad for it to be a treadmill run. I always have trouble doing interval runs outside for some reason, so this may be my new workout till the spring. I would really lover to hit a sub 20 5K this summer, my previous best is in the 22 range. My plan is to keep hitting the interval workout a majority of the time and have a few long steady runs, but I would like my runs to be faster in the spring when I can get outside.
The treadmill does suck but as you said it is easier to do intervals since it lets you vary pace and focus on something other than the wall in front of you. That is the only workout I will ever do on a treadmill. I ABHOR doing long slow runs on a TM.
ReplyDeleteI do however disagree about how to not bonk when you hit the run. IMO, it is more about bike fitness than run fitness. I am a pure runner, i was built to run, pure and simple. I have bonked in the run on a triathlon and have learned that it was b/c of bike fitness and not run fitness. Success in Triathlon = Time In The Saddle, Very simple formula that took me 3 years to understand.