Sunrise Intervals

I haven’t done these in a while…I did some cruise intervals a while back, but that’s kind of a cop out workout calling it intervals since it’s more toward tempo than anything. Anyway, been freaking out at the lack of intervals in my workout so decided this morning I could throw in a few light ones to get some speed work in, particularly since this is a lighter week anyway. Plan was for 3 1 mile intervals with a half mile recovery at 7:00 pace. 1 mile warm up and 1 mile cool down for an easy 6 miles. In the morning that strikes me as fairly easy.

Got out of bed, it was difficult, but managed it with enough time to get the workout in and have plenty of time to get ready. I ran a mile warm up at 9:20 pace, then set up Garmin for the intervals. One problem with the 201 (that apparently is fixed in the 305) is that Garmin doesn’t count the recovery as part of the overall workout and/or figure the time into everything, so I had to just do a guesstimate on overall time since I forgot to look…makes me want the 405 even more (especially having seen more about it the other day, touch screens etc…I’m thinking Christmas present to myself this year!! I do tend to get Christmas money, and I didn’t buy what I had planned with Christmas money last year either…hmm….). Anyway, this is how it played out.

Interval 1 – 6:25
Interval 2 – 6:13
Interval 3 – 7:01

Umm, yeah, have I mentioned I’m no good at pacing? I knew the first one my legs were feeling kind of tired but had no idea I was running that much faster than planned pace. Second one, well, there was a good downhill on it, OK, that was actually on the first one too, but still. Third one, that was more like it, and obviously the first two got me! Also did end on a decent uphill. During my first recovery interval, I was jogging along (only time you’ll see me use that word!!) and I saw Mrs. Bambi trotting down the road toward me. She freaked a bit, and took off and got onto a yard, but then stopped, and kind of looked at me as I jogged by, I looked at her, said good morning and went on my way and she went on hers. It makes me remember back to the morning I saw a doe and three fawns…I haven’t seen deer on a morning run in a while and it does make for an interesting morning. I’ve seen red fox in the morning too. Now all of this wouldn’t be strange except that I live in a city of 45,000 people. A first tier suburb of Minneapolis, population 350,000…a metro area of 2-2.5 million…but I do live near very wealthy neighborhoods with large yards and some nature areas, and the deer know a good address and school district I guess!!

I also couldn't wait for the sun to get up. I forgot how disoriented I get in the dark when doing a tougher workout that really pushes the O2 levels etc...