Tuesday, December 18, 2007

Recovery Run

After running less than three miles two days ago? Indeed, today’s six-mile run was a recovery run. I am suddenly IMPRESSED with the training benefit of speed work. I raced less than a mile Sunday, in three different races, and I still feel stiff two days later. The good type of stiff, as if my muscles learned something they didn’t know before. I feel it in the quads, of all places, which normally don’t get stiff unless I run downhill a lot.

Today’s run was just right - a little hilly but not a lot. I started out slowly, but the stiffness fell away as I ran and I finished the six miles in 50:45, for a pace of 8:27. Plenty good for winter running.

So far I haven’t tried to incorporate speed work, or fartleks, or intervals, or even much deliberate hill work into my runs. I just pick a distance and go out and run it, choosing the particular course more or less by whim, and running a pace that feels good. Races were my speed work, but nearly all of those were 5k and longer. I have never before raced distances of less than a mile, and I think I should figure out a way to train at that speed some of the time. Might even be fun.


Breakfast
Breakfast: Organic oatmeal, organic walnuts, banana, Don's fruit/berry/nut mix, organic grapes, organic nonfat milk.

Lunch
Lunch: Organic vegetables in Sunshine's nightshade-free pasta sauce, organic red cabbage with pineapple, Sunshine's gluten-free chocolatey nutty bread. One Frango dark chocolate. Yum.

Salad
Salad: Organic salad greens, hydroponic cucumbers, avocado, macadamia nuts, organic dates, blue cheese, pecans, raspberry vinegar.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

am trying the red cabbage and pineapple! :)