Track Repeats and Trail Run Not What I Was Hoping For 9/25/12

This morning I did quarter mile repeats at Colby with Sean. Yep he kicked my butt yet again, no surprises there!

What was a surprise was that this week I was on average about 5 second slower per fast lap and that was without doing a fast mile before my quarter repeats.

There were a couple of differences:

• I ran the repeats in my Altra Instincts
• Two of the gates that were open last week were both closed forcing me to run in lane 4 most of the workout.

The second difference probably accounted for a little of why I was slower, but I have to wonder how much the change in shoes contributed to the slower times. The Instincts are actually lighter 9.1 oz., but it felt as though I was working a LOT harder today to get these times!

Below are the splits and  each repeat had a quarter rest in between.

Warm-up 1.0 – 8:59

1. 1/4 – 01:30:04
2. 1/4 – 01:35:93
3. 1/4 – 01:33:62
4. 1/4 – 01:36:74
5. 1/4 – 01:39:80
6. 1/4 – 01:39:55
7. 1/4 – 01:37:78
8. 1/4 – 01:39:64

I was sucking air pretty good on a couple of the laps. Over a mile those 5.0 seconds or so slower per quarter can add up to 20 seconds and over a 5K would be over an extra minute (I know that the times don’t always extrapolate out this way in a real run, but it makes you stop and think about it.

Yes I know that not every workout is going to be better than the last one, but it sucks when you feel as though you are working harder and not getting the same results – oh well back to it next week.

After I finished up at the track, I eventually went back to Colby and did a real easy run on the Upper Trails, I just didn’t feel like I was done yet and needed a little more. In reality that was a mistake and I should have just went home did the work that I was supposed to get done – done.

My pace was really good on the trails, but when I got to the hill in the field, I just fell apart and I ended up walking up most of the hill. First time this year that I have really just given up on a run, especially on a hill, but it happens and I own it. After I got to the top of the hill, I did finish up pretty well.

Tomorrow will be a better day! .