I Keep Running Into The Bar

I ended up taking a rest day on Wednesday. I was possibly going to go swimming with Laura, but that ended up not working out, so I was fine with the extra rest. I know that just a couple weeks ago I was really disappointed with myself for not getting up early and going to the gym almost every day, but now that rest days are part of my half-marathon plan, I really don't feel too badly about it at all!

This morning's workout was a 4 mile run followed by 4 gentle pickups. Runner's World describes the gentle pickups as follows:

At the end of your run, walk for several minutes, then slowly increase your leg turnover on a flat stretch for 100 meters - the straightaway on a track - up to the point where you start to breathe hard. Hold it there for 10 to 20 meters, then gradually slow down. Walk to full recovery before you start the next one.

I headed off to the gymnasium this morning in order to get my run in. I was determined to stick this one out, even if it meant running slowly in order to do it. I just find the treadmill so boring and I keep wishing that it would warm up even by 10 degrees so that I could brave outdoor running! Although once I got outside, I actually thought that it wasn't too bad and maybe I should have run outside today.

Oh well. I got on the treadmill instead and pounded out my 4 miles. I did take a short walking break somewhere between 2 and 3 miles, which I felt okay about. My only problem was that I started running at 5.5 pace and then kept running into the bar at the front of the treadmill. So, I'd increase it to 5.6 and then 5.7 and so on until I was running at 6.0. I did increase it over that too, but then my heart rate started going crazy and I started coughing (always a good indicator that I'm not getting quite enough oxygen), which was when I took my walking break. I kept going back and forth between 5.5 and 6.0 the whole time to keep it interesting and to try to prevent myself from hitting the bar. I guess I could have just run right off the treadmill if it wasn't there today!

Then it was time for the gentle pickups. Reading this again, I'm not quite sure that I did them 100% correctly, but that's why this is a practice/bonus week and I should have all the kinks ironed out by next week (when I repeat these same workouts!). I ended up running as fast as 8.7 on the pickups, which I was pretty happy about, although I didn't hold it there for very long as it says that you only have to do it for 10-20 meters and 20 meters = 0.01 miles, so I tried to do it for at least 0.03 miles to be on the safe side. I also included my cool down walk in this time, so that's why the stats aren't so good on this part, even though the actual running part was pretty fast, I think.

I have a running race (outdoors) on Saturday that is a five-mile race. I'm still not 100% sure if I'll actually do it because of how cold it is supposed to be that morning (actual temperature around 20, but with the windchill it will feel like it's 10). I'm planning on picking up my number and t-shirt after work today, so hopefully that will be motivational enough. I mean, I can't possibly have a t-shirt for a race I didn't even compete in, right?

4 Mile Run
Time: 41:34
Distance: 4.00 miles
Pace: 10:23/mile
Calories: 557
Maximum HR: 195
Average HR: 179

Gentle Pickups
Time: 10:39
Distance: 1.00 mile
Pace: 10:39/mile
Calories: 135
Maximum HR: 195
Average HR: 174