I Did IT!

"IT" being this week's speedwork. My plan called for 2 x 1 mile @ 8:25 pace. That's 7.1 MPH on the treadmill with a 1% incline. That's super scary for this girl who is still scared of punching in 6.0 on the speed. Speed workouts are probably better on the track so you can feel yourself push for the speed (and maybe even pleasantly surprise yourself by running faster) but that wasn't an option today. The good thing about the treadmill, though, is that you can dial in the speed and know that as long as you slap your own hands away from the speed buttons, you'll hit the goal pace.

I chose the Woodway treadmills on the other side of the gym. Those are supposed to be better for you, but my number one reason for choosing them was that they're closer to the bathrooms. 8:25 seems awfully close to puke pace. ;)

I did a half mile warm up (perhaps it should have been a full mile, I don't really know, but I felt warm after the half mile so I went with it). Then it was time to crank it up. Immediately my lungs and legs began a dialogue with my brain...

Lungs & Legs: This sucks. 400's will be fine. That's still a speed workout.
Brain: No, you did that last week. I'll meet you halfway, though. How about 800's? But you still have to do the 2 miles of speedwork.
Lungs & Legs: Awesome. We love you, Brain!
... now with 800 complete...
Brain: Guess what, girls? You can do this- keep running! Do what you always have and get what you've always got!!! You have a sub-2 half to run.
Lungs & Legs: B!+**

It hurt. Badly. I was so glad when my mile was finished. I walked for a 1/4 mile then dialed it in again. Pretty much the same conversation took place between my lungs, legs, and brain. At one point a girl hopped on the treadmill next to me and must have been running the same pace or close to it. I tried to distract myself by running "with" her. Maybe she only planned to run for a couple minutes, maybe that treadmill sucked, maybe the sounds of me sucking wind was too much for her- but she left before my mile was over.

I walked another 1/4 mile, then finished with half a mile at 10:30 pace, which feels A LOT easier after running 8:25 pace. My total distance was 3.5 miles at right around 37 minutes.