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Track Workouts (Read 1342 times)

    Today I talked to some members of a running club and I agreed to join in on my very first track workout since high school! So next Tuesday at 5:30 a.m., I'll be joining a group of early risers at a local college track. I explained how I am looking to improve my 5k time and haven't been able to do so on my own and need some help.I'm curious about how my body responds. I'm fearing that I'll be in some pain for the first few workouts! Is anyone else new to track workouts and do you have any suggestions on what NOT to do? Smile

    Michelle




    Lazy idiot

      Is anyone else new to track workouts and do you have any suggestions on what NOT to do? Smile
      I'm relatively new to track workouts, as well. My only suggestion would be to resist the temptation to blow it all out of the water and do your best to meet your workout goals. But I'm sure others have better advice.

      Tick tock

      Scout7


        Consistency in your times is key. Like Drew said, don't give everything up on the first few, only to find you can't finish all the sets, or start missing the times.


        Why is it sideways?

          I'm fearing that I'll be in some pain for the first few workouts! Is anyone else new to track workouts and do you have any suggestions on what NOT to do? Smile
          I'm picking up on something you write here and blowing it out of proportion to make a point. Don't fear the pain. Embrace the pain. Relax in the pain. Speed workouts are all about breeding familiarity with pain. Make pain your friend. He will thank you for it later by lopping big chunks off your PR's. Seriously, in my brief stint as a coach I thought that one of the major obstacles that many beginning runners face (and even experienced runners--I still face this) is the fear of pain. It is never the pain that causes the runner to tire and slow. It is fatigue. And one major way in which we add fatigue to the already tiring body is through our fear of the impending or present pain of running. Speed workouts are great because they administer this pain in small, manageable doses. Pay attention to the way in which you react to those doses, and see if you can mark out some space of indifference to pain in your attitude towards running. It will benefit you greatly when it comes time to race.
            Don't fear the pain. Embrace the pain.
            I agree with you completely. I should have said...I fear injury. Pain I can deal with, but an injury that prevents me from running is what I want to avoid! Pain after a hard workout is like a reward. It tells me that I worked hard. Smile

            Michelle



            zoom-zoom


            rectumdamnnearkilledem

              Pain after a hard workout is like a reward. It tells me that I worked hard. Smile
              Yeppers--I totally get that, too! I really wish I had a running club around here to do track workouts with. I'm a member of a small club, but they mostly just do Sat. runs, which I often can't make. I'd love to have a group to do track intervals with. k

              Getting the wind knocked out of you is the only way to

              remind your lungs how much they like the taste of air.    

                   ~ Sarah Kay

              Mile Collector


              Abs of Flabs

                Consistency in your times is key. Like Drew said, don't give everything up on the first few, only to find you can't finish all the sets, or start missing the times.
                Another vote for consistency. I noticed that when runners do track for the first several times, they tend to run the first several intervals too fast and end up dragging the last few. This applied to experienced runners that never did track work as well. I have a friend that did several marathons and still ended up running too fast. Consistency is the key.
                  Consistency in your times is key. Like Drew said, don't give everything up on the first few, only to find you can't finish all the sets, or start missing the times.
                  Another vote for consistency. I noticed that when runners do track for the first several times, they tend to run the first several intervals too fast and end up dragging the last few. This applied to experienced runners that never did track work as well. I have a friend that did several marathons and still ended up running too fast. Consistency is the key.
                  Very good point! I really wouldn't have thought of that. Knowing me, I'd be very eager to get out there and push hard right away and then not be able to finish the workout. I'm hoping that they have different levels to offer. The one woman running the training says they usually pick a couple of people from the group and focus on what their goal is and work on that together. Sounds interesting.

                  Michelle



                    Yeppers--I totally get that, too! I really wish I had a running club around here to do track workouts with. I'm a member of a small club, but they mostly just do Sat. runs, which I often can't make. I'd love to have a group to do track intervals with. k
                    This one has Tues a.m. track workout, Tues p.m. track workout, Thurs p.m. varied distances, Sat a.m. long run, Sun a.m. long run. And the people who run the group own the running store I shop at.

                    Michelle



                      Don't fear the pain. Embrace the pain. Relax in the pain. Speed workouts are all about breeding familiarity with pain. Make pain your friend. He will thank you for it later by lopping big chunks off your PR's.
                      That's what I finally learned to do during my track workouts. I use to slow down when I started feeling "pain"... I eventually figured out that it wasn't pain, it was just uncomfortable. Now when I feel uncomfortable during a track workout I push harder. Eventually the uncomfortable feeling subsides (or as Jeff said, relax in the pain) and your body does what it knows it's supposed to do. If you're actually feeling PAIN and pushing yourself to injury, you'll know it, and only then will you know the difference between "pain" and "uncomfortable". Tonight for instance, I was still tired and sore from my 20 miler on Sunday but I pretty much nailed my workout even though I thought I was in "pain". The body knows the difference, the mind doesn't. You have to overcome the mind.

                       

                       

                        That's what I finally learned to do during my track workouts. I use to slow down when I started feeling "pain"... I eventually figured out that it wasn't pain, it was just uncomfortable. Now when I feel uncomfortable during a track workout I push harder. Eventually the uncomfortable feeling subsides (or as Jeff said, relax in the pain) and your body does what it knows it's supposed to do. If you're actually feeling PAIN and pushing yourself to injury, you'll know it, and only then will you know the difference between "pain" and "uncomfortable". Tonight for instance, I was still tired and sore from my 20 miler on Sunday but I pretty much nailed my workout even though I thought I was in "pain". The body knows the difference, the mind doesn't. You have to overcome the mind.
                        I do wonder about overcoming what my mind is telling me but I'm still learning the differences of warning signs of a possible injury and something that is just discomfort, sometimes that fine line is crossed without enough warning. But, I live by the "live and learn" theory...so I'll find out! Congratulations on sticking to your workout today after the 20 miler! Tonight at the end of a short run, I did 5 minutes of 30 seconds at about 5:20 per mile pace (I have a Garmin now so I know my pace!!) and then 30 seconds at a jog. I just wanted to see how I would do. It was tiring, more so than I thought it would be. I know that I have a lot of work to do to catch up to the others in the running club doing the track workouts.

                        Michelle




                        #2867

                          do you have any suggestions on what NOT to do? Smile
                          Do NOT start your track workout without first getting in a good warm up, especially that early in the morning when you won't even have the benefit of having been up and moving around for most of the day before you start running fast. Easy jig jogging for at least 10 minutes is called for.

                          Run to Win
                          25 Marathons, 17 Ultras, 16 States (Full List)

                            Do NOT start your track workout without first getting in a good warm up, especially that early in the morning when you won't even have the benefit of having been up and moving around for most of the day before you start running fast. Easy jig jogging for at least 10 minutes is called for.
                            I was thinking of doing a good 15 to 20 minutes of an easy jog on the treadmill before heading over since I'll be pressed for time to get back home and I'll need to start right at 5:30. My body truly needs more of a warm up than what I typically allow for and with speed workouts I'm sure I'll need more stretching too.

                            Michelle



                              I just started track workouts late this year. Seems to help. Started with 30/30s (30 second hard, 30 seconds easy) for up to 16 intervals. When I got comfortable with that, moved to 60/60s. Then, 800s. And, finally, mile repeats. Usually, I do at least 1 mile warm-up and 2 mile cool-down. I'll never win any races, but my times have really improved (even for a slow-poke like me!) I really noticed a difference in my last HM. I was able to push my pace, and relax in the discomfort. My km splits were incredibly consistent (w/in 5 seconds of each other for a stretch of several km) and my last 2 k were my fastest. Result: a PR by over 20 min. Now, I've started introducing 8-10 pick-ups/strides/ fartleks into 1-2 of my regular training runs/week and I am getting much more comfortable running faster for longer periods without 'sandbagging' it, worried I might run out of steam.
                                I just started track workouts late this year. Seems to help. Started with 30/30s (30 second hard, 30 seconds easy) for up to 16 intervals. When I got comfortable with that, moved to 60/60s. Then, 800s. And, finally, mile repeats. Usually, I do at least 1 mile warm-up and 2 mile cool-down. I'll never win any races, but my times have really improved (even for a slow-poke like me!) I really noticed a difference in my last HM. I was able to push my pace, and relax in the discomfort. My km splits were incredibly consistent (w/in 5 seconds of each other for a stretch of several km) and my last 2 k were my fastest. Result: a PR by over 20 min. Now, I've started introducing 8-10 pick-ups/strides/ fartleks into 1-2 of my regular training runs/week and I am getting much more comfortable running faster for longer periods without 'sandbagging' it, worried I might run out of steam.
                                The 30/30 thing is something that I tried the other day (not on a track though), and this is what made me realize that track workouts are going to be harder than I was thinking. But, I'm anxious to improve my times so I'll push myself. Relax in the discomfort - such a nice way to put it. Smile

                                Michelle



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