Good Old Fashioned Run- Friday, December 31

Route: The old reliable Dolores Park to Duboce Park to Davis Medical Center to the Castro and back again.

Stats:

Total time: 32:03.96
Total milage: 2.79 miles (really? I thought it was more...OK I thought it was 3 miles but round it up and maybe if you do a bit of the run through Duboce Park which I didn't).
Average heartrate: 142 bpm (somewhat a little on the high end)
Average pace: 11:30 minute per mile (OK, now I'm getting to the point that you're supposed to train at a slower pace than your racing pace!)
Time heart rate in zone: 14:54 minutes
Time heart rate above zone: 9:27 minutes
Time heart rate below zone: 6:44 minutes

Comments: I did feel a bit queasy as I was coming up Sanchez going into the park. Maybe a bit of orange juice or something before the run besides water would give me something to keep going.

At first, I had to slow myself down to get my heart rate into zone. Sure enough, I started above zone. It was painfully slow then got myself into a comfortable pace then had to push myself a little more when it got below zone. And just when I thought I did enough, sure enough, my monitor prompted me to go a bit faster and work a little harder. And all this time, I thought going all hard out on this old reliable run was the way to go.

Most likely I will sign up for the 10K race as opposed to the half marathon I planned to do in a few weeks back in Southern Cal. I'm certainly not prepped to run 13.1 miles. I could bullshit the miles but that's not how it works.

Recovery Run- Thursday, December 30

I did a recovery run today. I chose my old route of going down 18th Street to Dolores Park up Sanchez to Duboce Park and to Castro and Davis Medical Center and down Castro to 18th and back home.

However, that changed.

I only made it to Duboce Park and back. I had to keep my heartrate into the zone which was really hard. At times, I was shuffling like an old woman and I really did not like it one bit.

So here's what the numbers breakdown to.

2.33 miles total
32:53.87 minute time total
heart rate zones: between 123 bpm and 144 bpm
time running being within heart rate zones: 8 minutes and 18 seconds
time running below heart rate zones: 11 minutes and 18 seconds
time running above heart rate zones: 9 minutes and 52 seconds
average heart rate: 135 bpm
average pace: 14:07 mile per minute.

More comments: I had to learn to start off slow since most of the time, I would start off running hard. I have to learn to do the reverse, especially in races- start slower and run faster in the end. I think I will have to do a lot of practice in 5K and 10K races. The end my heart rate was below the zones but I was running at a steady rate to the point where I was getting a good cadence. Hmmm...

Track Workout- Wednesday, December 29

Laps at Kezar Staduim track

1st 1200m- 6:05 (approximate time- I accidentally erased it)
1st 800m- 4:07.97 (165 bpm, 8:48 mile per minute)
1st 400m- 1:57.05 (159 bpm, 8:08 mile per minute)
2nd 400m- 1:56.18 (157 bpm, 8:25 mile per minute)
3rd 400m- 1:55.35 (156 bpm, 8:22 mile per minute)

Seems like I should be goaling for the 27:00 mile finish in the speedwork program. The times are a little bit faster and that's what it looks like I'm running for. And it seems like my heart rate is fine in all of those. I didn't even go out for my maximum heartrate. It seems like it's all under what I'm supposed to train.

OK, let's kick it up a notch next week.

Unintended Rest Day- Tuesday, December 28

I was supposed to do track workout today but ended up sleeping quite a bit to stave off the cold that I was coming down with.

Sleep is good. :)

Yoga Monday- Monday, December 27

Iyengar Yoga class at the Yoga Loft: 90 minutes.

I woke up rather sore this morning and a cold as well. I'm not sure if it's because of the weather or my co-workers being sick or me pushing my training. Lots of rest and liquids.

Long Run Day- Sunday, December 26

Route: Cut through Hayes Valley to Jefferson Park through the Western Addition to Japantown to Hamilton Park to Alamo Square into Dubose Park and the Castro back home through Dolores Park.

Milage: 5.14 miles
Time: 1 hour 27 seconds
Average heart rate: 145 beats per minute
Average pace: 11:46 minute per mile
Time heart rate in training range: 30:17 minutes
Time heart rate above training range: 15:48 minutes
Time heart rate below training range: 12:01 minutes
Best pace: 9:05 minutes per mile

Comments: I played around with the running most of the time, trying to see if it was best for me to focus more on keeping within my heart rate training range or my pace. Heart rate won out fair and square. From reading one of my running books last night, a heart rate monitor is the best thing for someone to use for training. At first, I was bummed at getting this watch since it didn't have the interval timer that I would use for walk breaks and running breaks that I had on my Timex. But I kept it more for the heart rate monitor. And that was a smart decision for me. I can set the watch where I can check my heart rate monitor to see if I reached my threshold pace and recovery pace.

Now my legs are a little sore. At least I wasn't too tired. Or maybe I am. I need some sleep. Nite nite.

Track Workout- Saturday, December 25

Track workout: Kezar Stadium (and first day of using new running shoes and runner's watch...whoo hoo!)

Intervals:
1st 800m- 4:12.74 (8:25 minute mile)
2nd 800m- 4:08.02 (8:26 minute mile)
1st 400m- 2:01.68 (8:27 minute mile)
2nd 400m- 2:00.81 (8:03 minute mile)

total milage- 3.44 miles

Weather: a little gloomy, did intervals around 4:30 pm

Now in comparison to first track workout on Wed, Dec 15

1st 800m- 4:35.46
1st 400m- 2:10.43
2nd 400m- 2:06.86

Note: no pace per minute determinations

Comments: Looking at the chart that I started using from Running Times, I think now I should push up my speed work goal. I now know that I can most likely do a 5K under 30 minutes. Maybe I should use the paces for a 27 minute race as opposed to a 29 minute race.

Here are the goal paces for the two interval workouts

29:00
1600m- 9:21
1200m- 7:01
800m- 4:41
400m- 2:20

27:00
1600m- 8:43
1200m- 6:32
800m- 4:21
400m- 2:11

Tommorrow is trying the heart rate monitor feature in my new watch. Now that should be fun.