Team AstraQom Training Tip, Week Four: A Change of Plan?

Hello, Team AstraQom!  Perhaps at a past job you had a co-worker who never took a sick day, especially on those days when they were miserable, sick, and fatigued.  It's possible you have even done the same.  If you think of those days when you (or the co-worker) went to work when you probably should have called in sick, it is most likely you didn't get much accomplished.  Spending the day bundled up in bed not only might have sped up the healing, but kept you from spreading the illness to someone else.

By now you most likely have determined how many times a week, and how hard, you can run.  Let's talk about days when the run is on the calendar, but it does not feel like a good day; you're tired, sore, ill, or something important has encouraged you to change your schedule.  That's okay.

Like I've said before, we control our schedule and our running; it doesn't control us.  You can adapt the schedule by shortening the run duration...twenty minutes (the minimum amount of time for aerobic benefit) is better than no minutes.  You can move the run time to another portion of free time in your day.


If it's a question of feeling poorly and you are not certain whether you can run, try what some athletes call the "two-kilometer rule."  Begin your planned run course as usual.  Run the first kilometer.  If you still feel unsure of whether to continue the run, turn around and run the kilometer back to the start point.  If you still feel badly when you get back to the start, call it a day.  If you feel good, turn around and continue your run.


From experience, I've had track workouts where I felt miserable for the first two or three kilometers of the warm-up, and then something released.  I've also had workouts where I called it a day at 3K, rested that evening, then had a great 10K tempo run the next evening.

Sometimes the best treatment for a bad day - or a busy day - is another day.  As always, don't hesitate to e-mail me with any questions - javaman222@yahoo.com . 

Track Workout For Thursday, December 9, 2010

CONDITIONS:
Flippin' cold! Arm/leg warmers for MB. Deena in tights and knit running cap which we realized was made by adidas. Allan in an ear band. Steamy breath. Fortunately, though, no wind.
PARTICIPANTS:
MB, Deena, Allan

WORKOUT:
Warm-up - 2x 1mi parking lot loop, 10x 100m striders.

Main set - 6x 500m at threshhold pace (7:05-7:27/mile), 100m walk recovery

NOTE:
Original plan was for 9x 500m at threshhold with 100m walk recovery. However, rather than us hitting the 500s at 2:11-2:19, we were hitting them at 2:00-2:02. We probably could have done three more at that pace, but we got a good five miles of work in total. Seemed like a good note on which to end the workout...especially since the weekend has some long runs planned.

On the really bright side, the bathrooms were unlocked (yippie-ki-yay!).

Track Workout for Thursday, November 4, 2010

CONDITIONS: A little on the cool side, but enjoyable.

PARTICIPANTS: MB, Suzanne, Deena, Allan

WORKOUT:
Warm-up - 2x 2x800 parking lot loop

Main Set - 4x 800m (400m walk recovery) @ 6:13/mi pace (goal)

Outcomes - 6:55/mi, 6:45/mi, 6:20/mi, 6:20/mi

So...yeah, I'm all right with it. Deena didn't kill us and my achilles' tendon isn't killing me.

Workout for Saturday, June 26, 2010

CONDITIONS:

Warm - 80*/79% humidity/3mph N. 84* by the time we were through.

PARTICIPANTS:

MB, Suzanne

WORKOUT:

Warm-up - 2x 1mi road loop, 10x 100m striders

Main set - 20x 160m (40m walk recovery) @ fresh pace

Cool-down - 400m walk

NOTE: Original plan was for another 8x 160, but it was warm. :)

Workout for 1 June, 2010

CONDITIONS:
Warm - 82*/74%/5mph SSW (okay, the tri-top under the tech-tee wasn't such a bright idea.

PARTICIPANTS:

Stan, MB, Suzanne, Deena

WORKOUT:

Warm-up - 2x 1mi road loop, 10x 100m striders

Set 1 - 6x 160m (40m recovery) @ "fresh" pace

400m jog, 8x 100m striders

Set 2 - 4x 350m (50m recovery) @ "fresh" pace

Cool-down - 400m jog

NOTES:

Workout limited to two sets - Stan returns, Deena raced previous day. Reminded of the most logical reason why I don't coach youth runners...during the entire second set.

Workout for May 9, 2010

Conditions: Surprisingly nice - 64*/42%/8mph NNE - probably the last "nice" day of spring/summer.

Participants:
Suzanne, MB

Planned Activity:
Bayou Loop - 8.2 miles, conversational pace

Actual:
Bayou Loop - 6 miles, conversational pace; 2.2 miles walk/jog (Suzanne)

Bayou Loop - 6.5 miles, conversational pace, 2.8 miles walk/jog (MB)