A Passion for Running

Welcome to the home of Mark aka The Running Blogfather – a 40 year-old dad, husband and marathon runner who's beaten injury and is on the comeback trail!

doing very very manly stuff

passion for running category: running on Tuesday, May 9 2006

Yesterday, after I put a new transmission in Lori’s van, built a new triple car garage and cut down a forest with nothing but a hatchet, I headed to the track for a speed workout – my first workout of that type in over 18 months. The aforementioned activities were conducted in Levi 501 jeans, a white men’s hanes t-shirt and, for the running part, black running shorts. But, I digress…

In keeping with the past two Mondays, I had planned on doing another 10 miler but it was really cold, rainy and windy so, not wanting to spend 90 minutes in all that, I decided to try my luck at the track. Turns out the track wasn’t protected at all from the wind so it wasn’t a very good trade. It was a difficult re-acquaintance with the track.

The workout was simple:

-one mile warmup at a 9:00 minute-mile pace
-8 x 400 meter intervals (2 miles total)
-8 x 400 meter jogs between each interval (another 2 miles)
-one mile cool down
-total distance of workout = six miles

I wasn’t sure what kind of pace I was after so I based it on bettering my recent ability to handily run a mile in seven minutes. For you numbers lovers, 400 meters must be run in 1:45 for it to equal a 7:00 minute-mile pace. Here are the interval times:

1:31
1:36
1:41
1:47 (intentionally backed off, but unintentionally too much)
1:33
1:38
1:34
1:34

Average = 1:37 = 6:28 minute per mile pace (if I throw out the 1:47, the average = 1:35 for a 6:20 minute per mile pace)

I’m happy with this first result – especially given the very windy conditions. Other than that, I made two observations:

-The track was filled with high school students practicing the 4×100 relay. They did an excellent job providing a juxtaposition to old and slow.
-I was struck by a feeling that I was running a lot slower than I was capable of, even though the times listed above are quite fast for me – especially considering I damn near puked on one or two of them. Weird.

Anyway, my first track workout for the season is in the bag!




11 Comments

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Comment by Bella

Tuesday May 09, 2006 @

It’s great to see you’re gettin back into the “manly” stuff w/out the pink skirt. :)

Gosh, it’s been a while since I’ve been here…I had a great laugh about your skirt pics, thanks Mark!

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Comment by susie

Tuesday May 09, 2006 @

Ok, manly man. That video was hysterical. I’m going to download that song onto my Ipod, just so I can laugh while I run and remember you in the pink outfit:) And hey, good running, too.

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Comment by 21stCenturyMom

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

That skirt obviously served you well – those times are smokin’. And to think that was just the warm down after all that very manly work!

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Comment by beverly

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

The first paragraph: very reassuring to all.

Great job on the track workout!

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Comment by Elizabeth

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

Not too shabby! Might have been faster in a skirt…

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Comment by Adeel

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

Mark, that’s a pretty fast workout but I’m going to rain on your parade: what was that really trying to accomplish? If all you wanted to do was to run fast and make yourself feel a little more confident, which is useful in itself, then it was good.

Otherwise, I can’t figure out what exactly was the point of running your quarters so hard that you’re puking, with a long rest in between. Workouts like this one are unfortunate in that you’re working very hard, but it’s not clear what benefit you’re deriving from all that work.

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Comment by Mark

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

Thanks everyone! :)

Adeel, you basically hit it on the head with your first statement.

Truthfully, it’s been so damn long since I did ANY track work, I just wanted to see what was in me. It was a baseline and a confidence booster.

Another thing: Basically, I’m really enjoying all the options available to me right now running-wise. Oddly, having no racing goals has freed me to do whatever I want to do. I have no direction but that’s oddly pretty groovy for me right now.

I’ll set some goals in the next little while but right now, I’m just enjoying throwing stuff out there.

Okay? :)

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Comment by Adeel

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

I know what you mean. One of the things I’ve always wanted to do is go run 15-20 quarters on a track at midnight or during the middle of the night, though I’d give myself around 30-45 seconds of rest and do them in the 80s.

I did want to go sometime last week to do it, but I was way too tired to run a quality workout.

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Comment by Susan

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

I’m with Susie – I’m getting the song.

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Comment by Pamalamadingdong

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

Just so you know, that song came on my radio station yesterday while we were enjoying dinner. And I nearly choked on my birthday fajita.

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Comment by jkrunning

Wednesday May 10, 2006 @

I will soon be joining you in the land of the track workouts. My half marathon training schedule begins next Monday and my first track workout is on Thursday!!

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