I am relatively new (a full year now) to my town. I love it here, I really do. But being that I am not familiar with the area … I am clueless where some of the must have amenities are for a runner. For example, I have no idea where the great local trails are. I also have no idea where (or if there is one available) a free track for the public to run on. Clueless.
Embarking upon this marathon training plan, I have found my training plan has a lot of speed work. Which is good because it challenges me not only physically but mentally also. But not having a track to run on (especially since school is in session), it really puts a kink into my speed work days.
Yes, I could (and sometimes do) run the intervals on the treadmill. However, when it is a gorgeous morning or an interval of only 200 meters… I prefer to take it outside.
This morning, I found a nice spot outside of my gym… the parking lot on the side of my gym. I happily checked my boys into kid care (they were happy to play too). I went outside and I plugged in my interval speed work into my iphone app iSmoothRun.
After a quick warm up, I was ready for my 8×200 with a 2 minute recovery workout. I created a customized workout interval on the app and was ready to go. The app cued me when it was time to run “Go” and even encouraged me to “run faster” when I wasn’t hitting my goal pace. When my recovery time started it would alert me “recovery for 2 minutes” and then proceed to give me my interval statistics.
My running workout went well. I had trouble finding my groove with the run. I settled in to a comfortably challenging pace… but not a full out speed workout. There were a few intervals where my speed slacked due to cars, running out of room on the parking lot, and racing against the wind. You know… silly annoyances while doing speed work on a parking lot.
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I have owned and used this app for a few years now (paid with my own money). I have a feeling these interval style workouts will be enjoyed much more outside… compared to the treadmill while using this app.
My workout this morning was successful. I only almost got hit by a car once in the parking lot. I am sure I scared him as much as he scared me. Who thinks they will see a gasping flailing chick running along the side of the building at 9:30 in the morning?
I would much rather take my speed work to the track. But being a realistic MOM, sometimes that it isn’t possible or even available. Knowing that I can plug my workout in my phone… and do it on the go (trail, park, etc) is very freeing for me.
It is almost like my own personal coach cheering and encouraging me on my training run… Go Faster! Slow Down. Recover. Run!
My workout from this morning was fun… but like I said, I much prefer a track with a marked start and end (so it is something I can look forward to when I am gasping for air near the end).
After my 8×200, I completed 200 walking lunges. I also did 50 full sit-ups (which surprisingly enough was the easiest part of my workout). I finished the workout with 5×5 weighted squats (95 lbs). Good workout. Good stuff.
If you are a runner, do you do speed work?
Where do you do your speed work?
Treadmill. Track. Trail. Road.
awesome!!
I always do my speedwork on the treadmill… I find I need to actually set the pace in order to force myself to do it.
Hey there! I am so glad to have found your blog! I think speed work is so important, and I have just recently started incorporating it into my workouts. I can tell a difference big time! Like you, I just moved this summer though and I don’t know where the nearest track is. I have been doing fartlek runs for my speed workouts though!
Yup, makes a big difference if there’s a marked track. I think it’s a psychological thing, the athletes all run on marked tracks, so that makes us think more like athletes.