OBJECTIVE
Just run
ACHIEVED
8.35 mi.@ 8:15/mi.
8:54 8:42 8:39 8:30 8:22 8:06 7:48 7:30 2:28 (.35 mi.@ 6:59/mi.)
6:39 AM 69° 87% 8 mph
This was just supposed to be a mid-distance, easy Saturday run. The plan was to run the Faulkey Gully Trail out-&-back from the YMCA. I woke up early but got a late start due to lack of motivation and knowing no one was waiting for me. This would be a solo run. And that's how it changed from an easy Saturday run to Cory's patented Progressive 5-second Mile Cutdowns.
To occupy and motivate myself when I run alone, I usually have to play mental games with myself. Sometimes this is good; sometimes it's not. This is what it turned into today. Please do NOT rely on this workout for your own use. It has no basis in exercise physiology, sports training, or any other discipline that would give it credibility!
Here's how it works. Start running. The goal is to run the entire distance at negative splits - choose your distance. Today I chose one mile. So the first mile served as a warm up and was slow. You can obviously have a negative split run if you start slow enough, right? So start slow.
The next interval (mile in my case today) needs to be 5 seconds faster than the previous. No big deal, right? Well, here's the catch. If you go more than 5 seconds faster then the third interval still needs to be 5 seconds faster than the previous rather than the originally planned time.
So here's an example: Today my run started with an 8:54 mile and I was going 8 miles. Therefore, the expected splits were 8:54/8:49/8:44/8:39/8:34/8:29/8:24/8:19. But after the first mile, I got a bit giddy and ran a 8:42 over the second changing the target for Mile 3 from 8:44 to 8:37. And so it continued.
This approach punishes lack of early pace control by requiring faster splits at the end of the run when you're getting tired.
Somehow I convinced myself this was all pretty cool and occupied myself the entire run with the idea including coming up with the name. It seems all the "cool" published workouts have "cool" sounding names. I thought Progressive 5-Second Mile Cutdowns fit the bill.
Let me know if you've tried anything like this before or after reading my blog. I'm curious to know how it worked or works for you.
PRE RUN
water, GrapeNuts w/1% milk
POST RUN
SlimFast
Later, water, multivitamin, low-fat granola w/1% milk
2 comments:
I think it's a good idea, provided that your run is not too long! I need something to keep myself going too, otherwise i get bored. When I run solo, I typically take my music with me. There's this one song that I like, when it plays I speed up - for the entire duration of the song. Then I have a recovery song, and then I play my fast song again. It turns out into an interval workout, and I quite enjoy it.
In case you wonder about the song, it is the Salsa version of Valio La Pena from Marc Anthony http://www.last.fm/music/Marc+Anthony/_/Valio+La+Pena+(Salsa+Version)I love salsa, that's something I picked up when I was in Angola.
Steph
Thanks for the comment, Steph.
I checked out the Marc Anthony clip. It really has a fast beat. I understand how it would be a good power song. I didn't realize you run with music nor did I realize salsa is big in Angola ... ?!>!??
Hope your recovery is going well and look forward to the group getting back together for Saturday runs. Then I won't have to occupy my mind with these mental tricks ... ha!
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