Another run around the track

Although I can now run my usual route near my kid's school, there was no way I was going to do it today when it was 90 degrees (or the next two days for that matter). So I decided to run in the morning instead, around the local track.

I ran the first three laps at about two minutes each, pushing myself because I had no hills to contend with. Unfortunately, during the fourth and final lap of my first mile, I could not keep up the pace, so I ended up finishing the mile in about 8:10 or 8:15. I guess I should be happy considering I typically run my second mile in my usual route (the one with the big downhill at the beginning and the end) at around 8:30. But I tend to focus more on what I can't do, or at least what I end up not doing well.

I spent the next a little over two miles alternating between sprinting (for me, anyway) and jogging about 110 yards each (the sprints were probably a little farther). I tended to do each one between 19 and 22 seconds. After the first few intervals, I generally felt overworked and tired during the sprints. Even though I did not seem to be running fast (and my form was surely not pretty), I could not muster up the stamina to run any faster. Yet when I did my recovery jog, I typically felt okay at the end. If I had jogged a greater distance in between each sprint, I might have done better overall. Who knows.

Regardless, I am glad I "mixed it up"; when you do the same thing over and over, your body gets used to it. Plus I recently read that a good way to increase your speed is to throw in some sprints. Tomorrow I hope to get a regular run in, though maybe for only two miles. If not, then I will plan to get in good run on Thursday. I gotsta have goals!