Yesterday, I took about a 30 second rest between 400s with no warm up. Here’s how the speed work do-over went today:
Lap 1 – walk
Lap 2 – 1:43
Lap 3 – walk
Lap 4 – 1:39
Lap 5 – walk
Lap 6 – 1:48
Lap 7 – walk
Lap 8 – 2:01
Lap 9 – walk
That’s a total of 2.25 miles in 25 minutes. The last 2 laps – Cindy totally kicked my butt. We followed the speed work with a little lower back strengthening workout and ab work. Tomorrow is five miles on the trails behind the Y.
Okay. I’m out of shape. Clearly, I have a lot of work ahead of me. So here’s how the speed work went:
Lap 1 – 2:12
Lap 2 – 2:11
Lap 3 – 1:58
Lap 4 – 2:33
I started walking on the last lap after my left lung fell out. I then walked laps 5-8 at a pace that would ensure I could keep my right lung.
That’s my problem – when I get winded I slow down. Or rather, shut down. I’ve gotten out of the habit of pushing myself. I need to start channeling my old Chicago training mojo. I know I can do this. I know I can run a marathon faster than 4:57.
Today I lifted upper body weights with my coach/friend Cindy. Bench. Triceps. Curls. Abs. It’s been a long time since I’ve done any lifting so I’m hoping to be delightfully sore tomorrow. My arms are even shaky as I type this.
Since I don’t officially start my New York Marathon training schedule until July, I thought I’d just do the first two weeks of the plan and then start it over again.
Tomorrow is speed work – 8 x 400 at 6AM. Yay. It will be hell, but it won’t take that long. I’m not sure how fast I’m supposed to run them, but I guess it will be as fast as my butt will make it around the track.
I’m going to need new shoes soon. Should I just buy one pair now and another later, or should I buy two pairs now and rotate? Will that get me through the marathon in November?
