objective
speed

achieved
5 mi. tempo?

1 mi. WU
dynamic stretch
2.5 mi.@ 6:49
1.0 mi.@ 6:49
0.85 mi.@ 6:49
1.0 mi.@ 6:49
2 min. CD

~6 AM

Supposed to do speedwork today but I still need to find a track near my Chicago location. I'm more mentally engaged and execute the speedwork much better on the track than I do on the roads.

So I dropped into the club in my building. I was surprised that there were several people already there when I showed up before 6 AM - mostly weight lifters but some cardio workers.

I've decided if the treadmill is good for anything maybe it's tempo runs since it holds a constant pace (even if it's calibrated incorrectly which I believe most treadmills are). So this morning was to be a 5-mile tempo run at marathon pace of 6:49.

I did an easy mile warm-up then my old dynamic stretches from the brain training book. Then it was "game on". Instead of going 5 miles, the "game" lasted 2.5 miles which is when I took a break. I had my heart rate monitor which the treadmill was reading and reporting. My heart was bouncing off of 170-171 bpm and I was sucking wind. I justified taking a break and figured I'd simply split the tempo in half. I took the break, got water, toweled off then set up to it. This time I lasted 1 mile rather than the remaining 2.5. And so it went. The next segment was 0.85 mi. and finally 1.0 mi. to finish it out.

I'm certainly not in solid tempo run shape nor am I in shape to be running the paces which I've targeted. But I'll keep at it. Today will serve as a tempo run benchmark and those treadmills will still be downstairs waiting for me to drop in and check my fitness.

Tomorrow is a rest day which I will take. It should be interesting to see how my body responds to today's bout.

pre run
resting heart rate=54 bpm
O2 saturation=97%
water

post run
water, multivitamin & Kashi GoLean cereal w/skim milk