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December 3, 2004
Easy Running and Some Hill Work
I wanted to run easy today but also try to get in about 15 miles. I had three runs scheduled for the day so I didn't think the mileage would be an issue. I met one of the women on the track team at 12:45 for an hour run. I think we ran about 7 to 7.5 miles. We did an abbreviated version of the Arcadia loop - we did not run through the cross-country course first. This student was leaving for the weekend and asked me if I'd keep her company on her run. I did not mind at all because it would mean I could sleep in again this morning. I was able to work from 10:30 -12:30 so the timing was perfect. The pace was a little fast for my partner at first so we slowed down and had a really nice hour run. We talked a lot and by the time we were done I was freezing because I made the mistake of wearing shorts. The sun was out so it looked nice out.
At 2:30 I was scheduled to meet another track/cross country runner who wanted to have a meeting with me. I suggested going for a five mile run and talking on the run. She loved the idea because it would be more casual. We ran five miles on the cross-country course and talked about the pros and cons of running indoor track. By the end of the run she was excited to run indoors. I was happy about the results. This run was easy but by the end I was starting to feel tired and hungry.
At 3:30 I met the entire track team, it is really small, about 15 students to do their hill repeat workout. They usually do their hill repeats up Hospital Hill, which is about 200 meters long on pavement. The team has been doing so many speed sessions and plyometrics I decided since I was officially "in charge" this week (the other two coaches are at the National Track and Field Conference in Portland, OR) that the sprinters should do some hill repeats on the cross country course. I told the team the plan. We would run a ten minute warm up and then do 6-10 hill repeats, about 45 seconds long and then do 10 minutes cool down, followed by 4 striders. We did the warm up and it was raining slightly. By the time we got to the start of the hills the rain stopped. Everyone ran the hills at their own pace. Initially I was not going to do the hills but then I decided it would not hurt me and I really did not feel like standing there and freezing. I ran with the one distance runner in the group who is another graduate student who had been on the team last year. She was ahead of me for the first three and then for the next four I was a little bit ahead but I had to work. The last one we did together we were side-by-side pushing each other the entire time. It was really fun and I felt like I was on my toes the entire time. In between we were cheering for everyone else. I recommended at least 6 and almost everyone did 7 and a few people did 8 or 9. I did a total of 9. My last effort was not that hard. I ran in the back of the pack because by this point I was getting pretty tired. I then ran about 6 minutes cool down and watched everyone else do their striders and gave them some feedback.
Tonight I am going to see the Incredibles. I am excited. I have to go shower and get ready. Tomorrow I am looking forward to a 15-mile trail run. I hope I feel comfortable going to run on some hunter free trails. We'll see...
Posted by mary at December 3, 2004 5:15 PM