Within a year after moving to DC in 1998, I found a running club that worked out at the Georgetown University track. There was a monthly fee which provided me with access to a coach (which is different than actually providing me with a coach) and a group of people who were running pretty seriously. I wasn't training for anything in particular, but I liked going to the track once per week and running with other people who were. I also met another runner that liked to go for 7 to 10 mile runs on the weekends.
At the beginning of 2000, my band took off for a 2-month European tour. From there we kept going, organizing and playing shows in the US, Canada, South America, Australia and eventually back to Europe. I was able to run occasionaly while on the road, but it never was able to amount to anything seriously. Our times between tours were rarely more than a week, and usually jam packed with errands and logistics.
I continued to tour with my own band into 2001, and then I filled the time in between our tours by working for another band. Soon enough I was on the road all of the time. In 2003 I had a break and decided that I would train for a marathon. I took a job as an outdoor educator and the schedule didn't ever provide me with the ability to dedicate myself to the track on a particular day of the week. To prepare for that marathon I would alternate weekend long runs with speed work (mile distance).
Last fall I decided that I was going to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. I trained by doing weekday runs and long runs on the weekend. I followed a different training plan, and went in with the mentality that a slower time would probably leave me feeling better following the race (I ran a 3 hour 16 minute marathon in Stockholm and felt pretty bad afterwards). Sure enough, I ran a 3:40 at the Marine Corps and was actually able to walk the day following the race. During my training for this race, however, I did absolutely no speed work.
This fall I've decided to run the inaugural Outerbanks Marathon in North Carolina. With a schedule that permits me to be in town quite frequently, I decided to include track running and speed workouts once again. I found a group that trains at a track near my office on Wednesday nights. I've been going a little over one month, and I've enjoyed it quite a bit.
Getting together to run with a group can be an invigorating experience. It allows you to chuck all the excuses to the side and saddle up for the weekly workout/challenge. Since I've been going to the track, we've done a variety of workouts. We've done ladders (400m-600m-800m-1200m-800m-600m-400m), fartlek workouts (when the track is closed because the high school needs it for a function), 800m repeats and even a hill workout. Unlike the Georgetown running club I joined in 1999, this one is more loosely organized. The workout is set each week and people of varying abilities band together to run the set workout at whichever pace is comfortable for them. At the Georgetown workouts we were able to ask the coach what we should be doing, based on our goals and upcoming races (back then I wasn't training for anything, so I just kind of mixed things up depending on which other runners were there).
Last night the track was closed for a high school girls' field hockey game. Like the last time we did a fartlek run, we headed to the Custis Trail (which parallels I-66) for a tempo run. After a 10 minute warm up the plan was to do 5 minutes "on" followed by two minutes recovery. Tuesday morning I ran my 10.5 miles (9 miles was all I was scheduled for) and then I played a co-ed soccer game Tuesday night. My legs were tight when I arrived for Wednesday night's workout, but the 10 minute jog got me feeling loose enough to try to stay with the same group I usually pace with.
Our first 5 minute run was done at a pretty quick pace. I have trouble telling exactly how fast it was, but I would guess it was at least a 6:15 minute/mile pace. It was tough and the 2 minute jog of recovery was much needed. During that jog the six of us that were running together were debating how many "on" periods we were going to shoot for. Some were saying four while I was actually thinking that five might be realistic. With the Army 10-miler race coming up this weekend a few people wanted to save their legs. I joked that since we'd only completed one I could talk about doing as many as I pleased, but after the second or third "on" period I would probably be whistling a different tune.
And no truer words have been spoken! The second five minute speed period was tough. If we were going at a 6:15 minute/mile pace that meant that we were covering approximately 8/10ths of a mile at that quick speed. My typical pace on a training run is around 7:30, so this was really pushing it. On top of that, the activities of the day before had done their wear and tear on my legs, too. We completed our second 2 minute recovery jog still heading "out" (away from our starting point), and turned around at the start of the third 5 minute "on" session.
This segment of the workout really separated the true runners from those of us who were flailing to follow in their footsteps. It was very, very tough. I was breathing heavily, something that made the rib injury that was reignited during my soccer game Tuesday night incredibly painful. During that 2 minute recovery jog I was wondering if I was going to be able to pull off a 4th "on" segement.
I did, but it was at a considerably slower pace than the first three had been. My guess is that if the first couple were done at that 6:15 pace then this was more around a 6:45. It was still challenging and left my body feeling exerted. When it was over we all jogged back to our start point. I felt exhausted but good. That's the beauty of these workouts (and most runs in general); it leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment and an endorphin rush.
From there I saddled up on my bike and cruised back to DC for a good, rewarding dinner!
At the beginning of 2000, my band took off for a 2-month European tour. From there we kept going, organizing and playing shows in the US, Canada, South America, Australia and eventually back to Europe. I was able to run occasionaly while on the road, but it never was able to amount to anything seriously. Our times between tours were rarely more than a week, and usually jam packed with errands and logistics.
I continued to tour with my own band into 2001, and then I filled the time in between our tours by working for another band. Soon enough I was on the road all of the time. In 2003 I had a break and decided that I would train for a marathon. I took a job as an outdoor educator and the schedule didn't ever provide me with the ability to dedicate myself to the track on a particular day of the week. To prepare for that marathon I would alternate weekend long runs with speed work (mile distance).
Last fall I decided that I was going to run the Marine Corps Marathon in Washington, DC. I trained by doing weekday runs and long runs on the weekend. I followed a different training plan, and went in with the mentality that a slower time would probably leave me feeling better following the race (I ran a 3 hour 16 minute marathon in Stockholm and felt pretty bad afterwards). Sure enough, I ran a 3:40 at the Marine Corps and was actually able to walk the day following the race. During my training for this race, however, I did absolutely no speed work.
This fall I've decided to run the inaugural Outerbanks Marathon in North Carolina. With a schedule that permits me to be in town quite frequently, I decided to include track running and speed workouts once again. I found a group that trains at a track near my office on Wednesday nights. I've been going a little over one month, and I've enjoyed it quite a bit.
Getting together to run with a group can be an invigorating experience. It allows you to chuck all the excuses to the side and saddle up for the weekly workout/challenge. Since I've been going to the track, we've done a variety of workouts. We've done ladders (400m-600m-800m-1200m-800m-600m-400m), fartlek workouts (when the track is closed because the high school needs it for a function), 800m repeats and even a hill workout. Unlike the Georgetown running club I joined in 1999, this one is more loosely organized. The workout is set each week and people of varying abilities band together to run the set workout at whichever pace is comfortable for them. At the Georgetown workouts we were able to ask the coach what we should be doing, based on our goals and upcoming races (back then I wasn't training for anything, so I just kind of mixed things up depending on which other runners were there).
Last night the track was closed for a high school girls' field hockey game. Like the last time we did a fartlek run, we headed to the Custis Trail (which parallels I-66) for a tempo run. After a 10 minute warm up the plan was to do 5 minutes "on" followed by two minutes recovery. Tuesday morning I ran my 10.5 miles (9 miles was all I was scheduled for) and then I played a co-ed soccer game Tuesday night. My legs were tight when I arrived for Wednesday night's workout, but the 10 minute jog got me feeling loose enough to try to stay with the same group I usually pace with.
Our first 5 minute run was done at a pretty quick pace. I have trouble telling exactly how fast it was, but I would guess it was at least a 6:15 minute/mile pace. It was tough and the 2 minute jog of recovery was much needed. During that jog the six of us that were running together were debating how many "on" periods we were going to shoot for. Some were saying four while I was actually thinking that five might be realistic. With the Army 10-miler race coming up this weekend a few people wanted to save their legs. I joked that since we'd only completed one I could talk about doing as many as I pleased, but after the second or third "on" period I would probably be whistling a different tune.
And no truer words have been spoken! The second five minute speed period was tough. If we were going at a 6:15 minute/mile pace that meant that we were covering approximately 8/10ths of a mile at that quick speed. My typical pace on a training run is around 7:30, so this was really pushing it. On top of that, the activities of the day before had done their wear and tear on my legs, too. We completed our second 2 minute recovery jog still heading "out" (away from our starting point), and turned around at the start of the third 5 minute "on" session.
This segment of the workout really separated the true runners from those of us who were flailing to follow in their footsteps. It was very, very tough. I was breathing heavily, something that made the rib injury that was reignited during my soccer game Tuesday night incredibly painful. During that 2 minute recovery jog I was wondering if I was going to be able to pull off a 4th "on" segement.
I did, but it was at a considerably slower pace than the first three had been. My guess is that if the first couple were done at that 6:15 pace then this was more around a 6:45. It was still challenging and left my body feeling exerted. When it was over we all jogged back to our start point. I felt exhausted but good. That's the beauty of these workouts (and most runs in general); it leaves you with a feeling of accomplishment and an endorphin rush.
From there I saddled up on my bike and cruised back to DC for a good, rewarding dinner!
posted by Mike Mowery at 7:32 AM
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