I found myself a Personal trainer!
I found him at a good rate too…only 2 bags of cat treats per day and ample Light Box usage…
Don’t ask.
He has a thing for sunbathing…and he gets it any way he can during our gloomy winter season.
Speaking of Winter, when the weather forces me indoors it is time to get creative with my own running.
I had my first Tempo training run on the treadmill today as per my Winter 2011 Training Plan, but first, I needed a refresher as to what exactly I would be doing. There are a lot of conflicting theories and definitions as to what a Tempo run actually is, but the one that resonated the most with me was Hal Hidgon’s approach:
1) A Tempo run is a continuous run with a buildup in the middle to near 10-K race pace.
2) A Tempo Run of 30 to 45 minutes would begin with 10-15 minutes easy running, build to 15-20 minutes near the middle, then 5-10 minutes easy toward the end.
3) The pace buildup should be gradual, not sudden, with peak speed coming about two-thirds into the workout. Hold that peak only for a minute or two.
4) Hal considers Tempo Runs to be the "Thinking Runner’s Workout." A Tempo Run can be as hard or easy as you want to make it, and it has nothing to do with how long (in time) you run or how far. In fact, the times prescribed for Tempo Runs serve mainly as rough guidelines. Feel free to improvise.
5) Improvisation is the heart of doing a Tempo Run correctly.
Anyone who stresses that improvisation is a good thing instantly wins my heart! I am not a fan of rigid plans or theories about running…or with most things in life for that matter. Flexibility is key and there is never a ‘one size fits all’ approach.
The first thing I did was check what my 10k race pace was back in September 2010 when I ran the Oakville Labour Day 10k. My average pace was a 7:58 minute/mile (finishing time of 49:50 mins), so 7:58 min/mile would be my peak pace during my tempo run.
Here is what I did for my first Tempo run of half marathon training, following Hal’s general guide:
1. “Begin with 10-15 minutes of easy running” –> I ran for 15 minutes at 6.0 mph (10 min/mile), incline 1%.
[Water break]
2. “Build to 15-20 minutes near the middle” –> I ran for 5 minutes at 6.5 mph (9:13 min/mile), 5 minutes at 6.7 mph (8:57 min/mile), 5 minutes at 6.9 mph (8:41 min/mile), 3 minutes at 7.2 mph (8:20 min/mile), and 2 minutes at 7.5 mph (8 min/mile)…all at incline 1%. (Total time 20 minutes)
[Water break]
3. 15 minutes cool-down –> I ran for 5 mins at 6.5 mph, 5 minutes at 6.3 mph, and 5 minutes at 5.8 mph. (Total time 15 minutes)
[Walking + Stretching]
Total Tempo Distance: 5.30 miles
So how was it?
The tempo run was much more difficult than I anticipated! It was probably one of the toughest runs I have had in a long time. I had such a runner’s high after though!
It has been a while since I have continually built speed during a run and I found myself struggling a lot by the half way mark (around speed 6.7-6.9mph). I wanted to stop and take a break before the peak speed (7.5 mph), but I pushed through and told myself that I could do it. It wasn’t supposed to be easy, after all.
I have been doing a lot of interval runs lately and I am used to always having a decrease in pace on a regular basis, but during the Tempo run I didn’t have that luxury to decrease my speed when I wanted to. It was tough to get used to, but I think that just shows why Tempo runs can be such a great addition to a training plan!
Here is to a love-hate relationship with the mighty Tempo run for many workouts to come…
Oh, and it doesn’t hurt to have a delicious reward for all your hard work!
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Post-Run Berrylicious Smoothie
Serves 1 (about 2 cups)
Ingredients:
- 1 large frozen banana, chopped into chunks
- 1 tbsp chia seeds
- 1.25 cups Almond Milk
- 1 cup frozen strawberries
- 1/4 cup frozen blueberries
Directions: Add Almond milk into blender followed by the rest of the ingredients. Blend until smooth. Add sweetener if preferred. Serves 1 (about 2 cups).
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I don’t care if it is Winter or not, the only thing I wanted after that workout was something COLD!
Frosty, berry goodness and packed with antioxidants.
Did it ever hit the spot!
And then I proceeded to get a huge chill down my spine and covered myself in oodles of layers, sitting beside the space heater until it melted my clothing. The smoothie was good in theory I guess.
That smoothie is absolutely gorgeous.
Thank you so much for explaining it! I think I’m going to try one soon because I really want to do a 5k this year but I want a good time also.
Sounds like an amazing tempo run! They definitely aren’t meant to be easy, but do they work!
I crank the heater up and layer on the clothing and sip my smoothies with glee :)
I’m pretty jealous of your treadmill. I would kill to have one at home!
My cat Lena loves sitting under my one remaining non-fluorescent light-bulb, which is in my desk lamp. If she can get away with it, she especially loves sitting under the lamp while on my laptop. Warmth sandwich. I could see her and Sketchie getting together to protest fluorescent light-bulbs as depriving kitties of necessary winter sunbathing.
I totally laughed at ‘warmth sandwich’….Sketchie also loves sleeping on the laptop keyboard. *sigh…the things we do for our pets
That tempo run looks tough but interesting!
I can’t believe you can run at those speeds! Right now I do my “runs” at 5.2mph…
You’re inspiring to beginner runners like me! :)
When I started running I could only run 1 minute at a time :) We all start from somewhere! Goood for you for sticking with it!
Sketchie is so cute!
Nice work on your temp run.
That is a beautiful smoothie, and yes it looks cold. :)
Have I mentioned that I love sketchie? And now he even has professional headshots. I can only imagine what is resume might say on it!
Hearing about that (well, reading…) tempo run makes me glad I’m a beginner still. Looks like you kicked butt! I’ll think of you for inspriation when I run my 2.6 miles tonight after work in the cold (Nor Cal cold, not Canada cold!).
Have a great day!
haha ‘professional headshots’!!!
It may be cold but a smoothie does sound really good right now
Angela,
Have you ever thought about running outside using something like YakTrax? I have not tried them but they seem like a good idea. I have no idea how cold/icy it is where you are but it might be worth.
I always freeze after my smoothies too. I always take a hot shower after my morning smoothie. Brr!
I would totally try those out but unfortunately where I live the roads are with transport trucks and it is NOT safe….even running in the summer on the roads is a stretch at times. It’s a bummer!
That’s a really helpful breakdown of what a tempo run is supposed to be- I never knew! And the smoothie looks delicious- at least you didn’t get brain freeze! :)
I love smoothies! They make the most refreshing post-workout snack and cool-down treat!
Sketchie is such a good blogger cat!
Our cats would do the same thing. And your light box looks to be the perfect size for your kitty to use and stay warm.
That berrylicious smoothie looks great.
I had a similar smoothie this morning and found it quite refreshing. I used frozen banana, frozen raspberries and some chia gel that I had in fridge waiting to be used. Yum!
Gorgeous pictures! Love them! Sketchie is soooo cute :)
I think I’ve done a tempo run without realizing it….. I had never even heard of tempo runs before!
You gave me a shiver from just looking at that smoothie!
Just curious . . . and completely unrelated to the purple amazingness above, but do you have a recipe for baked oatmeal?
Hmm no I don’t think I do. I’ll have to tackle that at some point!
Hey! I have been following you for awhile on this blog and was hoping to ask if you think working up to those speeds is fine for tempo running? I’m a lot slower than you are and right now my max speed is 6.3 on the treadmill.
Hey Jen! The beauty of the Tempo run is that you can adjust it to suit your needs. :) If 6.3 mph is your current ‘peak’ then I would make that your fastest speed 2/3 of the way through the Tempo. Maybe you could start out with a warm up around 5 mph and gradually build to 6.3 mph for a couple minutes before cooling down. Just have fun with it and always tailor it to your current level. :)
Angela, that is one of the most amazing colors of a smoothie I have ever seen!