Tuesday, June 20, 2006

Stride Right

This morning (evening? well I guess it's morning for all of you and evening for Jason and I this week since we are working the midnight-8am shift) we finally were able to get some sleep. I have troubles sleeping when it's light out because I just feel like I'm taking a nap so I'm up every hour looking at the clock and going, "No, can't wake up yet". However today we went to bed around 11am and slept straight all the way till 4pm which was a nice change. Slept on and off then till about 5:30 then got up, had some toast and went out for our 8 mile run with 10x100m strides.

Two weeks ago Bob graciously let us know that were doing these workouts incorrectly and we should be doing the strides faster and the inbetween segments slower. So we took a different approach today and by the end I think we had it down.

We started with 4 miles averaging 9 min miles which I think is a little slow, but still ok. Then we started with the strides. I think at first we did them wrong and were doing each piece (sprint and recovery) too fast, so by the time the third sprint was complete I was feeling very sick to my stomach. We walked almost all of the next recovery chunk to try and get my stomach under control and we hit a lot of foot traffic along the path as well.

By the end of the ten strides I think I had a good routine down. I would spend the first 10 steps or something getting up to speed and then hold that pace for the rest of sprint period. Then we would walk for about 0.05-0.08 miles, then start a slow jog for 0.15-0.18m then it was another sprint. Doing this kept us in check for both getting a full recovery and getting the most out of each sprint. The sprints were between 5:30-6:15 min/mile pace. I would like to try and keep this more steady the next time we try these and also keep the recovery periods more consistant.

Working the midnight shift is hard. Yesterday was really less than thrilling because we got to the lab at like 9pm and of course didn't leave till 8am. There was a slight chance that my analysis would be finished by Wednesday to go to a conference but after the head of the group came by my office at around 12:30am and saw the state of things he agreed that it's close (kinda) but not really. I am going to try and have the result done for this conference in October and then hopefully be on track to graduate (graduate!?!?!?!) by Jan/Feb of 2007. Then what? Every week I'll give you a different answer :-)

Alright, tomorrow it's 5 mile recovery run.

Run Far and Run Fast everyone!

6 comments:

Ryan said...

Hi Leah

Thanks for your comment on my blog.

I, too, was trying to figure out the right approach for the 10x100 strides today. I am following the Pfitzinger Advance program, which called for 7 mi w/10x100's. I truly had no idea what I was doing. I ran about 3 miles at steady pace and started to work on the strides. I tried to go 0.07-.08 miles at 6:00 pace and then resort back to an 8 min pace for about .1 miles. It went OK, but it was tough.

I can only imagine how tough the night shift is. Your schedule looks really heavy the next couple weeks before your trip. 42 miles this week in 5 straight days - and 46 miles next week in 5 straight days. Not sure your mileage base going into the 18-week plan, but wow that is a lot to run in 5 consecutive days without any rest on week 1. Just my view.

How was the ice bath?

Thomas said...

I think that's the correct way to do your strides (which I recently had to learn myself). Make sure you are fully recovered from the last sprint before you start the next one. This is not a cardio workout, it's for the legs. If that means a longer rest period, so be it.

LeahC said...

thanks thomas! that's what I thought and so didn't mind taking a bit more time in between the strides. glad to know I am doing them more correctly now :-)

Full Metal Lunchbox said...

Looks like you had an excellent workout.

Keep up the good work!

Anonymous said...

Jason/Leah, Where are you running your strides? If you have a grass soccer/football field or track nearby then you might want to do them there towards the end of your aerobic or recovery run.

The softer surface always helps and the distance is measured. If you do it on a soccer/football field then you can run end line to end line and walk back and repeat. When finished then run home for your cooldown.

This is a staple of most high school, collegiate and elite training programs so your in good company. Keep up the great work.

Anonymous said...

I have no idea what you two are doing because it is over my head but all i have to say is way to go speedy I and II.;