Failure-based Training!

I had a tough run this morning. The schedule was for 13 miles @ 8:13.

It started out good but deteriorated. I drove to the Y to run the regular 8-mile route with 5 tacked on. I got going a little before 6 am. The temperature was good (around 57) with high humidity (95% - it was "foggy"). I reminded myself to start slow and also had it in my mind to attempt negative splits for the whole run. I failed both objectives very early!

I ended up with 13.2 @ 9:17 and was pretty much I living, breathing example of what not to do on a long run. Here's a partial list:

Start out too fast.

Run for more than an hour without nutrition.

Run for more than an hour without hydration.

Continue running after experiencing a high degree of discomfort that could be an injury.

Get upset that the run isn't going well and recalibrate objectives to punish yourself.


Here are my frustrating splits with commentary:

8:21 wanted to start about 8:30; feeling good

8:14 negative split; still feeling good but too close to goal time this early ... better slow

8:19 this is good; not negative but the first 3 miles are warm up; time to go!

8:26 didn't feel like I was slowing but obviously was

8:43 new part of route; crossing big intersection & contending with 2-lane country road ... surprised there's this much traffic this early on a Saturday. I like the road (i.e., scenery) but understand why Bob Bond never wanted to take this route. It's unsafe!

8:59 sure wish I had some water. Deciding against my fuel belt in an effort to "toughen up" this morning was stupid.

9:19 I can't believe I'm a minute per mile over my target pace! This is pitiful. My right knee has been bothering me now for a couple miles and seems to be getting worse.

9:35 Okay, I'm not going to hit my goal time. I've turned back for the Y. I can salvage the run by going negative splits the whole way back. I should be able to do this based on how slow I'm going!

9:15 Good - a negative split. Bad - it's 1:02 greater than the goal time. Knee is not well; still need something to drink. Wonder if GU would help at this point?

8:59 Another negative split. Keep this up and I can say the whole run wasn't a waste.

8:52 Still on track but the knee isn't improving and I've got no energy.

9:23 Feeling sorry for myself.

10:49 Downright embarrassing given the objective.


This was a frustrating run. The FIRST training program is proving to be hard and I'm realizing that I won't be hitting my times but I'm going to press on to see if I can "catch up" to the program. If I do then I'll have tangible evidence that I'm really improving. If I don't then I'll recalibrate the program. Everything right now is driving off my 5K PR time but maybe that isn't the right starting point given my current fitness level.

I know better than to do everything wrong today like I did. Somehow I was thinking I could go "outside the lines" and achieve something more. That's just stupid. Instead of complicating the workouts, I just need to focus on the task at hand AND make proper preparations to be successful. I don't want to feel like this after another workout anytime soon!

Mile Intervals Ain't Easy

I couldn't sleep this morning so that led to an early start. I had
planned to run tonight (thought it might be interesting to be out with
the trick-or-treaters) but Jonathan gave me a heads up about a 5K at
Rice University tomorrow night. I knew that I wouldn't make the race
if I ran my intervals tonight but I may have a shot if I got them in
this morning.

The schedule was for a warm up of 10 to 20 minutes followed by 3 1600 meter intervals in 6:28 with 1 minute rest in between each. The cool down was for 10 minutes. That was the plan, this is the reality:

2 mile warm up
6:25
6:46
6:51
1.8 mile cool down

This workout was tough! I'm not sure if it was just a bad day or if it was just too much of a stretch for me. I like to think it was a bad
day. The 1 minute break between intervals was SHORT! It didn't allow
for much recovery.

I've got 13 miles on Saturday. I'd like to be done in time to watch
the Olympic marathon trials from NYC. There are a couple of guys with Utah connections I've been following.

Day 1

Awww, the excitement of a new training cycle ... !!!

I overslept since I stayed up to watch the final out of the Red Sox sweep of the Rockies in the World Series. I had planned to run from the Y but didn't think I could get back home before Cameron would need a ride to get his day started. Therefore, I just ran from the house. I started a little before 5 am.

The plan called for a 2 easy miles followed by a 2 mile short tempo run at 7:03 pace then 2 more easy miles. I made the trek over to the high school and ran the middle 2 miles on the track then came back home. It broke down like this:


2.12M @ 8:38

2M tempo (7:02 & 7:00)

2.01M @ 8:59


My right knee was bothering me a bit on the cool down. I'm not sure what that was because everything was fine until I transitioned from the faster tempo pace to the cool down pace. Hopefully it's nothing.

This training program is supposed to place an emphasis on quality rather than quantity. I have the early impression that every workout is going to be just that "work". There's probably not going to be an opportunity to loaf through a workout and still hit the planned times. I suppose this is good since I think it's what I need to get where I want to be. This morning's run felt like a "speed workout" but it wasn't ... the speed workout will be Wednesday night when I get to go out for 3 x 1600's. I'm already looking forward to the payoff of this training plan!

Training Schedule: Oct 29 - Nov 4

Mon - 6 MILE RUN (2 easy; 2 @ 7:03; 2 easy)
Wed - SPEED (10-20 min. WU; 3x1600@6:28[1 min. recov.]; 10 min. CD)
Sat - 13 MILE RUN @ 8:13