Thursday, April 28, 2011

Tempo run completed

Not really sure I would chalk this one up to the success column, but I did run the 4 miles in the middle faster than I did the two on the ends.  I did my normal 5 mile loop, and added one on the beginning for the warm-up.  As I was getting to the "starting point" I pulled out my cell phone (its buttons are easier to hit on the fly than my $10 watch's) and kicked up the speed a bit.

So, there are two issues with this.  One, I know *mostly* where the miles are on my loop, but not exactly, and because I was running faster than my normal pace Nike+ was going to be off a bit.  Oh well, since I'm as close as a hand grenade, I went with it.  When I got to where I thought a mile was, I hit the store button on the phone's stopwatch function and kept on running.  That first "mile" I felt like I was pushing hard, there are a few inclines that I have to push up, and normally they aren't bad, but that is at a 10 mm pace, not 8 and some change which is what my phone was telling me.  Nike says that one was, 8:28, so yeah, that is hoofin' for slow old me.

Mile three was about the same, some downgrade, followed by a nice level section, followed by a sharp drop into the town park, and then up into Old Town and around.  Mile 2 by what I can recall from the phone with the added thoughts that 8:20's or whatever that first mile was would kill me if I kept it up, so I had turned the throttle back a little was in the mid 8's again.  This was gonna hurt if I kept this up.  Nike says I did mile 3 in 8:44, so not much throttling back.  I was thinking, can I even do this for two more miles?  But once I got to the end of old town, I figured really it wasn't THAT far left to run, just a couple of little hills.

Mile 4(3) has a short steep climb before a long downhill that I was looking forward to for recovery time.  When I hit that mark, I was still in the mid-8's according to my phone.  Nike says that I was holding in at 8:59.  The bottom of that downhill marks the beginning of a VERY long uphill, especially when you are working on Mile 4 of 4 tempo miles.  I have no idea what the phone thought my time was because, it rang.  Well, I suppose that is inevitable, it IS a phone after all.  It was my Dad asking how things were going and how I was doing.  I said if I would be doing great if I could just get up this dang hill.  Nike places that pace at 9:04.  I was gassed at the end of 4.  I know exactly where that mile mark is because it has a great landmark.  The rest all have random spots on their blocks, this mile happens to be the side door to my daughters' school.  Just about dead on with it too.  So I hung up the phone hoping the stopwatch would still be running....nope.  Nothing, not even the previous splits.

I really should buy a better watch for tracking time, but hey, I'm cheaper than Danny when it comes to that sort of thing.  Final overall pace for the whole 6 mile run:  9:08.  So I guess I need to work on going out slower and then ramping up and down at the ends.  The hills were good, and I can see the markings for the upcoming race on May 21 on the street.  Saturday I have a 14 miler scheduled, and we will have to see how that goes.

11 comments:

  1. Sounds like a tempo to me. You really need a Garmin!

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  2. @jgf - pshaw ... just needs to learn to put the phone on silent and/or ignore. Or, find the Nike Super Lap watch on sale for $29.

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  3. $29!!!! That's about $19 more than I paid for the watch I have now. I'm thinking I need a good job WAY before I need anything fancy like a Garmin.

    The only reason I took the call is my Dad is pushin' 80, and has issues with his health. I will always take those calls because I know that it isn't too very much longer that I won't get to ever again.

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  4. Garmin /= Nike (that Nike watch is just a straight up lap watch)

    I know you gotta take the calls. There's no point being connected if we don't allow ourselves to be connected.

    PS Ditch the word verification.

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  5. Natty - sounds like a good run to me. I agree - take Dad's call ANYTIME. Priorities.

    The job will come. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

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  6. Great job...I know tempo's are tough and I tend to doubt myself early on. Even though you slowed a bit - you did great!

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  7. Oh suck it up and get a Garmin! You'll love it!


    You are really, really fast. My fastest mile EVER was 8:56 or 8:57. I can't remember. I had too much rum in me to remember. It is my only sub-9 mile in my life, and I had to be tipsy to do it.

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  8. FruitFly---you are just trying to butter me up. And you are a girl after my own heart...Rum is my drink of choice if I'm gonna be drinkin' anything harder than beer. And that tempo was fueled by a handful of Captain 100Proofs and coke from the night before.

    And there is a Beach Boys song that I now tie to you.

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  9. Ah, the Beach Boys and I. We have a love/hate relationship. Everybody used to love singing a certain song to me, and I HATED it. I've since learned to just embrace it and enjoy that they really need my help!


    Rum... it's what's for dinner!

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  10. Cheaper than Danny? Hmmm.

    Just got a Garmin and I am glad to have it now. I think you spend too much time on the computer already to have one though.

    Great tempo, BTW =D

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  11. Natty - thanks for stopping by today. Speed is a relative term my friend. I am far from one to have speed.

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