Once a week I usually have a workout that almost kills me. I see it in my Training Peaks log and think, this time my coach has certainly lost her mind. Over the next few days, I think about how the hell I will finish it, until the day arrives when I actually have to get it done.
Well, I’m still alive and those “I may die” training sessions have done nothing but boost my confidence and made me stronger, faster and more mentally prepared for race day. They are still so hard when I’m actually doing them, and I have to constantly talk myself into moving forward and pushing harder but, when they’re done (and I take a selfie to post to Instagram) I feel so accomplished and, that my coach is the wisest human on the planet. I mean, she is a rocket scientist…
After my 3,000 yard swim and 10 mile run. I was so happy I made it!
Today I want to share with you one of those big scary workouts so you too can fear it, then conquer it. Plus, recovery food and/or celebratory drinks are usually called for.
Speed On and Off
This workout can be done anywhere but is easiest on a treadmill or track. You can either do the intervals as “off” and walk or stop completely (jumping off to the sides of the treadmill) or choose to do a recovery speed in between.
I’ve done this workout twice now, usually after a ride of 45 minutes or more and, it has yet to get easier. Just to give you an idea of pacing, this is how I did it:
Warm-up: 10 minutes increasing to 7:00 min/mile by minute 7, hold for 2 minutes then, 7:20 for final minute.
30 seconds on the treadmill at 6:45 min/mile, increasing speed by 5 sec/mile with each set. I jump off the treadmill for the 30 seconds in between since, by the time it goes down in speed I have about 20 seconds before I have to push it up again.
10 reps of 1 min at 6:11 min/mile pace, 1 min recovery at 8:00 min/mile pace
10 minutes working down in speed
Butt kicked and ready for recovery!
[Tweet “#Runners! Need some speed? Try this on/off #workout and #train4life”]
Do the workout and report back on Monday.
Have a great weekend!
What is the last workout you did that almost killed you?
What kind of training scares you most – endurance, speed, strength, etc.?
Yup. That workout would kill me. And now I want to do it! Maybe I’ll try it tomorrow at the track. Maybe….if I don’t chicken out and I remember to write it down. 🙂 Speed and tempo workouts always freak me out when I see them on a training plan. It’s like – you want me to do WHAT?!?!?!! But then I do it and think afterwards – that wasn’t so bad. hahaha!
I really hope you do it! Take a picture of it on your phone so you will have it with you 🙂 And YES I do that all the time with tough workouts. #headcase
Oh my goodness, this sounds terrifying! I know you have to do these kinds of workouts to get better butttttt I’m scurred. Lol. Maybe when I fully recover I will try and scream at you when it’s done, deal? 🙂
DEAL! For real 🙂
Hill repeats killed me again yesterday…. I have a love/hate relationship with them. I can’t seem to convince myself to look at my watch and do an actual timed speed workout…. the closest I to doing speed is sometimes a fartlekish run…. and then just sprinting the last 2 minutes of my run.
Whatever works is what you need to do but, don’t be afraid to look at your watch and empower yourself! You are a RUNNER!!!
Yes I want to do this workout! I love time fartlek-style speed workouts and 10 x 1 min at 5K, 1 min easy is one of my favorites. The extra speed bits and harder warm up sound even better. You have such great workouts!
Structured speed workouts on the track like 6 x 800 scare me. Have a great Friday, Allie!
Fantastic!! And yes, speed work and long mileage (on the bike or on foot) scare me!
Have a great weekend 🙂
OMG that sounds AWFUL. I’ll have to try it!! Speed workouts for sure are the ones I dread most but I always feel best after doing them. And I’m not usually intimidated by long distance runs but they’re the ones that end up feeling the toughest when I’m doing them. Go figure. I’m an enigma!! Lol. Have a great weekend!
OMG I completely 100% agree! While I was out biking for hours today I was thinking “I wish I was just do a very hard/short effort because this is scary!!”
Spin class always almost kills me. I think part of it is being bent over the bike which inhibits a ton of oxygenated blood to flow to my stomach but I always feel better when I sit up a bit and take a break. Or when I get off the bike and go lay down. That’s good too. 🙂
LOL – I feel a lot better after I go and lay down 🙂
Hope you have a great weekend with lots of “recovery!”
This is totally my kind of workout! I’d take 30 seconds or 1 minute intervals over tempo runs any day! Definitely saving this to try soon. Thanks, Allie!
Agreed!!! Even if it’s LSD mileage it’s scarier then short and fast.
Have a great weekend Laura.
I’ve decided that I don’t like to do hard things! 🙂
I don’t like speed workouts. They scare me, especially on a treadmill because I feel like I’m going to fly off!!
I was thinking the same thing during my VERY LONG and crazy training cycles this week! Although I stopped feeling like I’m going to fly off the treadmill, sometimes I think I’m going to trip on the road and fall into traffic!
I think I would need CPR after this one. And you know I love me some speed!
I bet you would surprise yourself. It’s intimidating but, with the marathon training you’re doing, you could nail it!
I went running up and down a mountain n AZ today. It literally almost killed me when I went sliding on the rocky trail going down. There must be some trick to navigating that, no? Either way, good times.
OMG!!! I think you need more traction on your shoes…or something like that? I hope you recovered with some great food and wine!
Ah yes, isn’t it a wonderful feeling when you finish a crazy workout and feel accomplished & exhausted?! When I did a fitness evaluation at my HIIT studio a few weeks ago, I really pushed myself as much as I possibly could… and I felt amazing afterwards!
YES…but while you’re going though it…so scary and painful 🙂 Good for you Nicole!
I always love the feeling when it is Friday, but I do not know what to do then. This article is amazing! Will definitely be doing this every Friday now. Thank you for sharing! Keep it up!