Thursday, August 25, 2011

Week 10/17 HM Training - Run#3 Tempo Bomb


6.8 km / 16 minutes tempo run

Eek! Face plant!

No worries ... I didn't literally face plant today, just figuratively. :( And it makes me laugh to find a few pics from Google images for today's post.

Ironically, I was feeling good when I left this morning for my run. I was sure that it was going to be a good one. For all the times that I have felt like a run was not going to be good and then it ends up being great, it is counter-balanced with a run like today's.

I initially started out well, finding my ideal tempo pace of 6:30 or faster. I did this for awhile but I found myself not being able to keep it there. Whenever I thought I was holding my pace well, I would check my watch and see that I was actually much slower. I kept going, hoping that I might need more time to build up to a faster pace, but it soon became evident it just wasn't in the cards today. It's hard to describe because it wasn't that I couldn't do it; more like my head and body weren't in sync.

This is when I started thinking that I had made a judgment error when changing my runs around. I exchanged my Tuesday 11.5K with my 10K race on Sunday when I should have exchanged my 8K + 8 striders with my 10K race. I was running up to an exit point to home along the path while I was thinking this so I made my decision to stop the tempo, and run the rest of the way home as a cool-down. I will take tomorrow off as a rest day, run my 16K LSD on Saturday, and then consider my race on Sunday my tempo run for the week instead. :)

I am definitely okay with this. I have had some excellent runs lately, which is great, and I was expecting a dip sometime this week. I can't stop yawning so I'm sure my lack of sleep is now catching up with me.

GYM UPDATE
I enjoyed my Kundalini yoga class as always - have I ever written that it was not good on this site? :) I woke up with a sore left shoulder on Tuesday morning, which has been bugging me since. I was pleased to see how much time we spent working on our shoulders, shoulder blades, arms and spine last night because it was exactly what I needed. There is a small residual tenderness in my shoulder today, but nothing like the last two days.

I have three yoga DVDs signed out from the library: two on Ashtanga yoga and one on Vinyasa yoga. I also have a DVD on hold that is billed as "yoga for runners." My ideal is to try to add two more yoga sessions to my week. I have successfully incorporated Kundalini yoga into my schedule and remain committed to it. Now I would like to see if I can find something similar to do on my own at home on Monday nights and Saturday nights before my runs the next day. The class at my gym on Mondays is very popular and I like the instructor; however, it just doesn't have the same appeal to me as my Wed/Fri classes (different vibe, crowded, feels like the gym rather than a yoga studio). There are also no classes on Saturday evenings. :) Therefore, I'm going to try this to see if something like this works for me.

6 comments:

  1. Glad you did not literally face plant, they hurt. I been there and done it several times and it is not nice. Good job recognizing that the run was just not there and getting it done anyways. Get a nice snooze and all will be better.

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  2. 16K the day before a race, well I have no excuse not to do my 14K tomorrow then! See you Sunday! I'll be wearing my purple running skirt! -Lyndsey
    Oh also, Vinyasa is my favourite Yoga... so far!

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  3. @Runnerbill - I hope never to experience a real face plant - ouch !! Sometimes Wallace crosses in front of me and there's a few stumbles as a result, but (crossed finders) no contact with the ground yet.!

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  4. @Zee - LOL! Since Ingersoll is a "fun" race, not a "PR-driven race," I've decided to go ahead with my 16K. Looking forward to seeing, you there, Lyndsey! Lauren will be there, too, so it's a triple DM meet-up. :) I will be wearing my bright red Ingersoll Harvest Run shirt from last year. :) (And we'll talk yoga!) :)

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  5. I'm glad you are flexible enough to switch up your runs - I know a lot of people (ahem, me!) that would get discouraged, upset and quit :( So go you!

    I keep hearing about the Yoga For Runners stuff, but I've never tried it. I LOVE that you identify what you like and go out there and make it happen. You're blog and lovely attitude are huge positive bursts in my day :)

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  6. @Suza - RE: Flexibility to switch runs - I try ... I really try! I am lucky to have a few mentors who are more laid back, and they taught me to "go with the flow" rather than getting upset. We have enough bad stress in life; I don't want to turn my running into one of them (but I like the good stress, as in the what we experience at the start of a race). :)

    THANK YOU for the wonderful compliment; that made MY day! :)

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