Q2

This is the first time so far this training session that I have written about a specific workout that I have done. My running log is available for everyone to see on RWOL.

http://traininglog.runnersworld.com/profiles/e1195ed2a8194cf6bbd220a914b648c6

It doesn't tell the whole story on certain runs though. On a workout like yesterdays, my average pace was very good, but it was an interval workout, so 40 of the 50 minutes were spend at what would be a higher intensity.

I left work at 5pm, still daylight, and still shorts weather here in Fort Collins. I knew that barring a setback, that I would finish right after sunset. I mapped the run earlier in the day, and thought I had put together a nice 11 and some odd mile route that would be perfect for the run. I took off up Mountain Ave to the west. The wind was blowing out of the west pretty good, so the 2 easy miles at the beginning were a little harder intensity than I had hoped for. I started the 20 minutes at Threshold Pace still heading west. At 2 minutes, I got caught by a traffic light, just for a second, but stopped my Garmin. About 2 minutes later into the run, I looked down to find that I had never restarted it.

I'll give a little backround into my Threshold runs here lately. Last weeks Q2 was 2 easy, followed by 2 x 15 minutes @ T pace with 3 minute rests. I was staring at the Garmin at about 10 minutes into the first one, counting the seconds till the rest period. The week before was 4 x 1 mile @ T pace, with 1 minute rests, followed by 5 easy minutes, then another 3x 1 mile @ T pace. Needless to say that I didn't even do the last 3 repeats of that workout. 2 weekends ago, I ran a 5k on the Colorado State campus with the intention of running it at T pace, (which is about 30 seconds slower than I have run some 5k's in my life). Near the end I was gasping, but the biggest reason I did it was to work on my breathing. I read a lot about it in the Daniels' book, but seem to be stuggling with it. It's something that I needed to get figured out.

So as I got around 7 minutes into the first 20 minutes, I was coming up over a pretty good hill where I needed to take a right and continue up another. I shut down for about 30 seconds at that point and started to walk, sucking wind. I restarted and as the road flattened out and I seemed to be doing just fine. I finished the 20 minutes and went into a 10 minutes E after that. As I was coming to the end of that interval, I hung the corner onto the bike path that is the home stretch of both the Horestooth Half and the Colorado Marathon. The last 6 miles or so are raced on this stretch. I started the 2nd interval and after about 3 minutes, BINGO. My breathing was there. I nailed the last 17 minutes and probably could have easily carried it another 20 minutes or so. I got to the end, ran the 2 easy miles for a cooldown, and called it a night. I've had my 2 best Q workouts this week. It's quite exciting, don't you think?

I closed the night at Coopersmiths, enjoying the $18.68 dinner deal with a friend of mine. Nachos, a large pepperoni and sausage pizza, and a pitcher of Poudre Pale Ale. It's part of the Great Plates deal here in town.

http://downtownfortcollins.com/pdf-gateway.php/documents/GP_09_insert_final

I should go out for dinner again tonight.