Taking on my SW that Jake suggested to hit my goal for SLhalf. I kept psyching myself out about it. I swear that my brain is my biggest obstacle in hitting my goals. Thankfully I tricked it well today :) Slept in. Getting up early Mon and Tu I was tired and didn't want to get up early, so I made my daughter babysit while I snuck out to the gym after I woke up whenever I felt like it! 9:15 is a beautiful time to wake up :) On the way there I started getting nervous. I couldn't do this, I'd done 12 the day before and spin class. Legs were tired, I needed an energy drink to get moving, I forgot breakfast, blah, blah, blah...I really hate my brain sometimes. I told myself "listen, you had a wonderful rest last night, you don't like running with food in your gut, you don't need chemicals to run and you can run faster than 7:30's on the track and you do it all the time. Now just go get it done." *deep breath* plan was 1 wu, 3X2mile @ hmp with .5 recovery between each set, 1 cd.
1 mile warm-up on the TM 8:49 (1%) - I just left my stuff on the TM then started the timer on my phone and went to the track. I chose to do my SW on the track, because numbers psych out my brain. I see a 7:30 on the TM and think "I'm dying, I can't run this fast, I'm tired, I need to slow down." BUT when I'm on the track I have to run by feel. Then I check the time at the mile split and the final time. This works much better for my brain. First set: 7:05, 7:03 - TT: 14:08 Schzam, I got this baby! I can slow it down next time.
back to the TM for the .5 recovery @ 8:49 (1%) - the track is 11 laps, so I can't make a nice even 1/2 mile on the track, plus on the TM I know I'll run slow enough to really recover. 2nd set: 7:16, 7:14 - TT: 14:30 slowed it down a bit, still felt good .5 recovery @ 8:49 (1%), I think the people around me are getting confused at why I'm doing this on/off thing :) 3rd set: 7:17, 7:03 - TT: 14:20 the first mile was hard, and the second I held on. My brain tried to talk me out of the second mile, but I just said "you have to start getting comfortable with the uncomfortable!" Obviously, I was able to pick up that second mile. Another reason for running under my own pace/effort on the track. I wouldn't have picked it up that much if I was on the TM! 1 mile cool down @ 8:40 (1%) started at the 8:49, then sped up to 8:34 the last half. I felt really good about this workout! I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to hit the 7:30 pace on the repeats, but I did it and never got close to it! I averaged closer to a 7:10 for the speed. This really helps me feel confident about SLhalf. Now, that 3rd set wasn't easy, but the other 2 were. Once I fell into the pace that 3rd repeat after the first mile I felt like the pace was comfortably hard. I was getting comfortable with the uncomfortable. I CAN do this. Stretched for a good 10+ min then came home Ab ripper X - I hate it, but I love it! :) Thanks Tony.
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