Thursday Tempo Run and Adventures in Treadmilling

Well, I got up early this morning (4:45) so I could get a run in so I can meet up with a friend tonight after work, I might sneak in a quick run before she gets there, but if I don’t, not a bit deal as on my plan I had for 12 mile tempo run, but had decided to only do 10 and ended up doing 11. This morning was on the treadmill too. The weather wasn’t too terribly cold, I could’ve handled it, but it was dark and that I just couldn’t stomach this morning. Running in the dark seems to get to me in a weird way. I wonder if anyone else experiences this, but at least morning runs (not sure if I notice it at night or not) in the dark I get a vertigo feeling occasionally, like the road is spinning in front of me, or at different angles or something, it’s just a weird feeling to describe and I decided I didn’t want to deal with it this morning for 10 miles…so I came to the gym and used the boring dreadmill and had to deal with MP3 that is acting up, I think I need yet another new pair of headphones. Don’t they make these things better these days? The wires are loose and it sucks…So anyway, I got on the mill around 5:30 and set out for 10, but set it to 11 just in case I wanted to go further…One thing about the mill is I can control the pace, started out first mile warm up around 9 minutes and put it for a 3% incline, unlike the 1% I usually use to counter the movement of the belt…it was a bit hard but not too bad, I kept it there when I increased the speed for my tempo part…planned 8 miles at 7:50 pace, I bumped up to just under 8 minute pace and stayed on the incline for another 1.25 miles, approximately what the distance is of the first hill for Marine Corp (at least from what I can determine, whether or not this incline is a similar grade, I don’t know). I was able to manage it and I do think I’m going to run a few more on inclines of maybe even a bit higher, just to be sure I’m mentally ready for it (I have planned long run to go up a long hill on Saturday). I was at 9.4 miles when suddenly the treadmill came to a dead stop…no slow decrease cause the time ran out or anything, just stop. I almost fell off it (was going at a 7:45 or so pace). So annoying as I was just about to the cool down miles. I switched to the one other mill not in use (there are only 3 in my small gym) and that one was so hard to run on…my legs felt like dead weights on it, I had to set the incline to 0 which I never do. This one was recently repaired too. Something is definitely wrong!! At this point I realized the other mill was back in action, showing a screen at least so I rounded out the last .6 I needed for 11 miles on it and called it a day. However the incredibly annoying thing is I don’t remember what my time was at when it quit!! I am gauging by the clock that I ran for about 1 hour and 32 minutes that gives me an approximate pace of 8:20 for the 11 miles and the tempo part I know I kept the miles under 8 minutes, I was up to 7:30 at one point and probably came close to averaging the 7:50 I had wanted to. Although I will admit to a few quick stops without stopping the mill for water and powerade…so I probably didn’t quite run the entire 11 miles…mill is just so freaking boring!!

I did end up out for a short run last night after an easy morning 5 miler too, 4.5 last night for 9.5 for the morning and now Wednesday run and I’m at 39 miles already for the week with a 20-24 miler planned for Saturday…I’m just keeping higher mileage for now as I might cut the run a bit shorter on Saturday (16-18) and I want to be at at least 65 miles this week…if I’m over, no worries as I have plenty of time to recover. Next week I really do need to try to get in to see Madonna to work on my leg (she’s the massage person who did an awesome job last time, she’s a bit expensive but soooo worth it).

Anyway, better start my work day…so much to do and no idea even where to start!!