My favorite running pic!

My favorite running pic!
The Buffalo Creek Half

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

Fartleks...ugh

So today, I decided to venture into the world of fartleks (or ladders).  I haven't done them in VERY long because I dread them!  The last time I did them I remember feeling like I had been run over by a train.  I hurt everywhere.  But I know that speedwork is important, so I decided to bite the bullet and do it.

Here was the plan:  5.0/5 min, walk/1 min, 5.3/4 min, walk/1 min, 5.5/3 min, walk/1 min, 6.0/2 min, walk/1min, 7.0/1 min, walk/1 min, 7.5/30 sec, walk/1 min...then go back down...I actually changed it up once I got to my 6.0.  Instead of 2 min, I did 2 1/2.  Then I did 2 at 7, 1 1/2 at 7.5 and 1 min at 8.  Went back down only to 5.8 (instead of 5.5 because I felt good) and threw in an 8.5 for 30 seconds in there.

The difference is amazing!  Granted it's been probably close to a year since I've done these, but at that time 6.0 was my fastest...today 8.5!  Woo-hoo!  I'm going to try to include these once a month or so and adjust as necessary.  Maybe they will help out with my speed.  All in all, I went 4 miles in 44 min.  Great considering I walked all of those recovery periods.

I do not feel like I was run over by a train.  That is the other AMAZING difference!  I feel pretty good.  During the whole thing, I felt pretty good.  Tired, yes.  A little breathless at the top speeds, yes.  But overall, pretty good.  I don't think I dread them anymore!

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