Awesome Progression Run

I'm coming Tulsa!  You've been in my cross-hairs since about 24 hours after my back-to-back marathons last month.  And yesterday ... I took another step toward kicking your a--!  I'll never be super fast ... but I'm getting faster.  And I intend to make you feel my pain in about 12 days! 

FEEL MY PAIN I SAY!!! 

Yes, I was basically threatening an inanimate object, the Tulsa Marathon on November 20th.  I find it's better to threaten things that can't talk back.  Although, I'm sure like any other marathon, it'll have plenty to say when the gun sounds on race day ... we'll see I guess!

Don't you love those runs where you feel a huge high when you're done!  Like you're invincible and it was one of the best workouts ever!  I've shared before that I feel I grow more in Tempo Runs than any other workout - but Progression Runs are one of my favorites forms of a Tempo Run (Progression Run - each mile gets faster to the end of the run).  And Yesterday, I ran probably my best and fastest Progression Run with the following splits...

Tuesday's Progression Run ... Goal: Final Mile About 1 Minute Below Marathon Pace

Miles 1 - 2 ... Warmup ... 8:34, 8:05
Miles 3 - 11 ... Progressively Faster  Tempo ... 7:43,  7:36,  7:00,  6:52,  6:50,  6:47,  6:44,  6:30,  6:24
Mile 12 ... Cool Down ... 7:38

Sometimes during a faster workout like this one, I'll stop for a second to catch my breath after the later miles. But during this run, I ran all twelve miles straight through without stopping. Go me! And my average heart rate was only 154, which was awesome!!!  It was really foggy at 49 degrees with 99% humidity, so I felt really good about being able to keep my heart rate low in the thick air.  Plus, I had a ton of energy left over at the end, and felt like I could have kept increasing the pace for a few more miles without too much trouble.

I hope this is a good sign for Tulsa.  I really want a good fast one to end the season on.  But NO PREDICTIONS!!!  I learned my lesson with Sioux Falls.  I still have Alabama in December, but I don't plan on killing myself in that one.  Hope your training is going well and you're staying healthy!  Have a great week!
... be great today!

Workout ... Treadmill, 12 Mile Progressive Run

            Course:  Legacy Park Treadmill
                Miles:  12            
                Time:  1:29:20
        Avg Pace:  7:27/mile
         Workout:   Recovery Run
               Temp:  33 Degrees, Wind 10SE
          Calories:  1425
  Total Ascent:  0 ft
            Avg HR:  156 bpm

Miles this week:  22

Legacy Park Community Center

Pretty good workout, for a treadmill anyway.  There are a lot of pros & cons about treadmill work. One huge CON, is that today was a 12 miler ... I would have rather been outside, but sleet and icy footing forced me inside at my gym (pictured left).

I ran a Progressive Run today.  I started at a comfortable speed, and then "progressively" increased the speed each following mile until it became uncomfortable.  It's one of the tougher treadmill workouts I do, but I like it because it takes the focus off of the hypnotic the churning belt.

Here are the splits ...
  Mile 1 ... (Warm up 8:45)
  Mile 2 ... (Warm up 8:15)
  Mile 3 ... 7:55
  Mile 4 ... 7:40
  Mile 5 ... 7:25
  Mile 6 ... 7:14
  Mile 7 ... 7:11
  Mile 8 ... 7:05
  Mile 9 ... 6:58
Mile 10 ... 6:54
Mile 11 ... 6:33
Mile 12 ... (Cool down 7:12)

Overall, I felt pretty good about it.  It's 5 weeks until Austin, and that was the fastest "Week 5 - Monday Run" I've ever had ... but it was on a treadmill, so ...