Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Trading the Treadmill for the Track

My usual Tuesday routine is to get up at 4:40am and go to the gym to run my interval workout on the treadmill.

This week I decided to would start attending my running team's Tuesday evening practices, currently held at the 200m indoor track at the college I graduated from.  It was a great decision because I had three girls to run my workout with!  We started with a warm up and then went into this workout -

1x800m at 1/2 MP with 2 min recovery
4x1200m at threshold pace with surge of 400m(to interval pace) in the middle, with 4 min recovery
4x100m strides/100m jog


800m at 8:00min pace - Is this really my half pace?  This feels slow.
1200m (5:18) - Well that wasn't that bad, that surge in the middle may have been too fast.
1200m (5:32) - Ok that one was all over the place.
1200m (5:28) - That's better, more consistent but this pace still doesn't feel that hard.
1200m (5:28) - FINALLY got the pacing right and consistent and we are done!

Even though the paces felt slower, I think I did the workout correctly because it was supposed to be at threshold pace.  I wasn't supposed to run the 1200m all out at interval pace.  Sometimes following the plan exactly may not feel right but I think it proves to have more benefits.

The workout was over before I knew it and I didn't even feel like I had run 5.5 miles.  It felt so much different to be on the track instead of the treadmill.  Usually I just type in the pace and go and the treadmill says "Run this pace or fall off"; yesterday I really had to focus on pacing.  I may have to make this part of my regular routine!  Its a tough decision though - I love running in the mornings but I also love running with a group! 

How do you handle switching from the treadmill to the track?? 

15 comments:

Suzy said...

Hmm, looks like the workout I did on Tuesday as well..only mine was slower. :) I've never been on a track to do any sort of anything except when they made us in high school phys. ed class.

Amy said...

Sounds like a good workout! I never use the track and just use a flat area for speedwork, but I think the problem with the treadmill is just like you said, you don't even have to think about your pace (and sometimes I don't think the pace is that accurate anyway).

Marlene said...

Nice job on the workout! Running shorter intervals at threshold pace can be tough when you feel like you aren't working very hard... I always have to look down at my watch to monitor the pace.

Felice Devine said...

Nice job! I need to get back to the track this spring. I didn't go at all last year.

Angie said...

I love doing workouts where it doesnt feel like I've ran that far! Great job! I miss the track!

Angie said...

I love doing workouts where it doesnt feel like I've ran that far! Great job! I miss the track!

Anonymous said...

Nice running! I've never really trained on a track (but I want to!) - usually my attempts at speedwork are on the roads and occasionally the mill. I suck at pacing, so if I ever do try the track that will be a challenge!

Aron said...

nice job on the intervals!! Happily I have never had to switch so I don't have an answer :)

Anonymous said...

great workout! i think you totally did the workout correctly. especially if it was supposed to be threshold. i've always found that for those runs i want to end the workout feeling like i could have done more, but it's good that i don't have to

Lisa from Lisa's Yarns said...

Great work out! I have never actually done a track work out! It's tough to get track time here. In the summer, there is an outdoor track I can use, but that's the only option that I know of in my area...

When I train for my next 1/2, I def want to incorporate more interval training!

Anonymous said...

Good decision indeed!

EndorphinBuzz said...

I would take a track over a treadmill any day. Good work on the workout!

Nicole said...

my treadmill has been my OTL lately.... the track is covered in too much snow!!! :)

Being Robinson said...

i do a lot of speedwork on the TM too. and then when i change and do it outside, it feels like i have to concentrate so hard! nice job on those though, i would likely throw up!

Kim said...

Great job with your switch to the track! I am nervous about speedwork on the track. I have done it the last few weeks on the treadmill and I wonder if I can do it "on my own."

I love how fast you are :)