Wednesday’s Workout
Let me start with saying, up until this point I have been feeling very positive about my summer training.
Today’s workout about did me in. My run consisted of 3-1 mile repeats at goal pace with 3 minutes of rest between miles. I was a little nervous going into it so I felt like mindset was one strike against me before I even headed out the door. By the time I started my run today it was already pushing 80 degrees with 95% humidity, and I am nursing a bit of hip pain. Why I expected different outcome that what really happened is beyond me. I definitely didn’t set my self up for a successful training and the results show that. Was it my worst run, no, but I only hit my target pace for one of the miles (mile 2 was 5 seconds off and mile 3 was 15 seconds off) and actually I felt worse afterwards. Typically I can push through a hard run and then looking back I am thankful for it. And, while I am not, not thankful for today’s run and having the ability, health and time to train, I just feel a little bummed that it didn’t go better.
So, when things don’t go quite as planned it is important to take a step back and evaluate the situation. Like I said, it was hot, my mindset wasn’t where it needed to be and I wasn’t physically feeling 100%. Where could I have made some changes?
Adjust to the heat - Now that summer seams to be in full swing the heat will continue to be an issue. I need to get out the door earlier and run in the coolest part of the day. Mornings are cooler than evenings, so my best choice is to run either when it is still dark out or close to sunrise.
Hydrate - Consuming enough fluids leading up to a run (not just right before or during a run - if you rely on thirst you are already behind) can have a huge impact on energy levels and performance. I typically have at least one serving of electrolytes the day before a hard run and one the morning of.
Adjust recovery periods - Today’s workout called for three minutes between each mile. I could have pushed that to 5 minutes or more and allowed myself some extra time to cool down so then I would have the energy to hit my target paces during the working phase (the one mile repeats).
Adjust the volume of the workout - I could have either cut the work period to a shorter distance and kept the same pace or I could have slowed the pace and kept the same distance
So, what does this all mean? Does it mean that those goal paces I had set for today aren’t in my future? Does it mean that I am never going to hit my goal? Does it mean that Friday’s run is going to be a bust? No!! All that it means is that today’s run was really hard and I didn’t feel great about it. We will all have “off” days and “off” runs. What is important is that we continue to press forward. Learn from the workout, make adjustments where they are needed and try again.