Working on Speed

I ran a sub10 minute mile this evening. I should qualify this by saying I did it by switching to the trainer and cycling for five minutes after each quarter mile. For one quarter I ran a 5.5 mph pace, then the trainer. The next quarter mile I ran at a 6 mph pace, followed by 5 minutes on the trainer. I continued this until I had one full mile at 9:44. While on the trainer, I did one-minute intervals to increase my heart rate. By the end, I'd worked up a good sweat, which is saying something since it's only 36 degrees in the garage. After not working out for all of November, and only sporadically at best during the last two weeks, this was a good workout for me.

I'm realizing I really need to do some kind of workout on a daily basis. Having that time to focus on improving an area I'm weak in helps me in every other aspect of my life. During the last two weeks when I let myself slip out of my routine, away from the working out, the writing, the reading, just the structure I had in general, I felt completely discombobulated. I think I have a pretty good idea how the Walkers on The Walking Dead feel as they wander about with no idea what's going on around them. I don't want to be so directionless again any time soon.

Even though I'm not putting in a lot of miles, I'm working on speed with a helping of cycling alongside. I've made the commitment to keep the mph at 5.5 or above, working my way up to 7 and 7.5. After only three days of this, I can tell a difference in how I'm handling it. I'm embracing the challenge rather than succumbing to the lazy me of before. Completing just these few days of this goal has shown me I can get faster if I put my mind to it. I knew this all along. I just needed to buy into it fully, not allowing the little "can't voice" to wiggle its way in.

Comments

J said…
Good for you! I am truly impressed.
December 20, 2010 at 9:35 PM
JK said…
Thanks. Still a long ways to go, but you have to start somewhere, no?
December 21, 2010 at 6:52 AM
Natalia said…
Hi JK, thanks for visiting my blog again. I left a comment on yours a few weeks ago, when you bought your new bike, but it seems like it never made it. Sorry about that. Like you, I would like to have my bike sleep in our bedroom, but my husband has put his foot down, and alas it is in the living room.
Good job on the sub-10 minute miles....keep at it, and you will get to where you want to be.
Merry Christmas!
December 24, 2010 at 9:33 PM
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