Running 101 Session 4

This running class and coach thing is getting me moving, happy and tired all at the same time. The insane Eli trying to push it and unfortunately taking an unknowing victim with her is BAAAAACK! Kind of happy but kind of scared too because it means the day that sucks is going to be brutally horrible and ice cream will be involved.

Yesterday we ran a tempo run

For those of you not familiar with a tempo run, it is when you start with an at your current pace for a 1 to 2 count (minutes or miles) and then run at 120% for  a 2 to 3 count (minutes or miles) depending on your strength, speed, and endurance. Peak runners or performance athletes run these as fartleks  using minutes so they almost do a sprint during the 120%. Their tempos involve milage for example, at my peak performance during marathon running I would do a tempo run that was 1 mile at 12 min and then 2 miles at 11:30 pace then 1 mile at pace then 3 miles at 11:30 pace then 1 mile at pace then 1 mile at 11:45 pace then 1 mile easy to finish for a total 10 mile run. I would do a 3 mile fartlek running 3 minutes on 120% and 3 minutes off for three miles.

So yesterday we did a 1.5 mile tempo. My classmate Kathy and I were paired up because we both were running at the 12:30 pace so we were expected to actually walk 2 minutes and then run hard for 3 minutes.Our tempo run was to last for 15 minutes and was at Lake Barton which is a 1 mile loop with hills. We decided that we would "try" to jog at pace for the first 2 minutes and run at 12 min pace for the 3 minutes. Well I kind of had us at a 12 min for the 2 min portion and 11:30 for the 3 min portion. We finished our loop at 11:55. Whoops! I have to give kudos to Kathy as she tried to keep up with me as I ran the whole damn thing even up the hill at the end. (which is a 20% incline) we of course still had to go another 3 minutes and it was the fast three which I tried to slack up and take a bit slower but something was in there itching me to keep moving.

We then finished the class with our running drills. If you have never done these they are akin to making yourself look and feel like a fool if anyone is watching. If NO ONE is watching they make you feel AWESOME about yourself after a run.
We did two sets of each of the following for about 200yds:
Toe walking --walking on our tip toes
Marching-Bringing knees up straight and high like the Greek soldiers do and then landing on the ball of your foot
Horse Walk-Bringing your foot up like in the march but then pawing it down from the ball of your foot
Kick outs-High knee and then kick out reaching in your step.
Heel walking-Just as it sounds except I waddle.

The running drills make your legs feel awesome after a tough run and help with the cool down.

Oddly at the beginning of the class I really was anxious and didn't think I could do it.
Now I know I can and did!