A Rainy Day 7 Miler with a 10 K Tempo Run Inserted

Mar. 5, 2021

0.5 K: 3:10.56

10 K: 46:30.48 (Target=45:50.00)

Rest: 1:18.67

0.9 K: 6:40.41

Total 11.4 K: 57:40.12

I did a 10 K tempo run. It was raining when I got out. I welcomed it. Two of my best races were on rainy days. 

I fell short of the target by 40 seconds. It means I'm 4 seconds slower than the target of 4:35 for each K. Though I didn't make it, I patted myself on the shoulder. I could have given up halfway through. Around 5 K I felt a sudden drop in motivation.  I don't know why. It just happened. Maybe I was thinking about tomorrow and thought I should save energy for a busy day ahead. Maybe I thought I was too old to keep on pushing myself. Maybe I was just too hungry to go on. But somehow I coped with it and carried on.

I don't know when my mind had shifted away from that negative mode, but before I knew it, I had settled into a steady pace. Breathing was a bit rusty, but not to the point of making me slow down. 

I increased pace on a downhill for a time gain, slightly slowed down till my heart rates came down on a flat after a downhill, and took shorter strides on an uphill for running economy. I did my best to maneuver this ridiculously hilly course for a time gain. But, I couldn't make it.  But I won't give up. 

Tomorrow night I'll either go for a long and slow run, or rest, depending on how tired or sleepy I will be then.

Midnight 10 K Hill Tempo Run

Jan. 31, 2021

0.5 K: 2:48.66

10 K: 46:10.28  (Target=45:50.00)

3.5 K :24:38.33

Total 14 K: 1:13:37

Didn't make it under the target. But tapped myself on the shoulder. It felt less uncomfortable. Could have pushed myself further if I had tried. Want to give it another shot next weekend. Hopefully, I will make it next time. As I have done 10 K tempo run constantly, I feel less pressured to do it. I find it a positive change which enables me to take increasingly challenging training head on. 

10 K Hill Tempo Run

Jan. 22, 2021

Warm Up 0.5 K: 3:16.63

10 K Hill Tempo Run: 45:33.11 (Target=45:50.00)

Rest: 46.83

Warm Down 3.4 K: 20:18.25

Total 13.4 K: 1:09:54 

For the first time in the 3rd attempt was I finally able to run this horrendously hilly 10 K course inside the target of 45:50. I am so happy I gave it a try. 

In fact, I was thinking of settling for a less challenging daily goal, like a 10 K jog. But then while throwing myself into my running gear, slowly motivation rose from within. Before I knew it, I was mentally ready to accept whatever result that might come from attempting to run it. After all, it's not the end of the world even if I don't make it. And if I don't, all I need is continue to train and give it another shot sometime again. 

I tried not to push too hard at first. I started off at a brisk pace, trying to lock into a pace that could carry me though the entire distance without getting too exhausted to surge at the end. 

Though I don't have a pulse meter on, I know fairly accurately how fast my heart is beating from the way I feel. Also, I can judge the level of running intensity from the pace of breathing. When I breathe in 8 beat, I'm at jogging pace. By breathing in 8 beat I mean breathing in in 4 steps and breathing out in 4 steps. I also sometimes use 6 beat, inhaling in 3 steps and exhaling in 3 steps. This beat is chosen when I start picking up a pace in a marathon after running somewhere around 15 to 18 K. And then the 4 beat breath is a competitive mode, inhaling in 2 steps and exhaling in 2 steps. When I do a tempo run, I'm in this mode most of the time. 

Tonight if there is one thing I feel good about, other than running inside the target, that's that I was able to change the pace at my will until the last moment. This feeling that you are in control of your mind-body can only be achieved through continuous hard work. So far, I have been able to create a positive circle of hard training, followed by recovery training, followed by regular conditioning training, and then hard training again.

Though I sometimes skip training that I'm supposed to do when I feel sleep is more important than running, there is this sure feeling that I'm becoming stronger and more endurable toward the race in April.    

Tomorrow after work, I would like to do some recovery run. I don't know how far I will go. I'll go with the flow, going as far as I want to go depending on how I feel. 

Midnight 10 K Hill Tempo Run in Vibram Five Fingers

Jan. 9, 2020

500 M: 3:32.76

10 K: 46:32.36 (Target=45:50)

1.55 K: 11:07.83

12.05 K: 1:01.12 

Life is a series of ups and downs. So is my running course tonight. The tempo run last night was quite a disappointment, because I fell far short of the target time of 45:50. I pat myself on the shoulder, saying, "Don't be too hard on yourself. The course is insanely hilly, and the target is challenging." But another side of me keeps saying, "I'm better than that."

So, just to prove how much better I can be, I ran the same course as last night, aiming to run faster.

The result is I slashed the time by almost 3 minutes. How did I do it? I surged on downhills. That's the only way I could slash time I thought. Increasing the pace on upward inclines will only take a toll on your legs and lungs. You'll end up paying the price later. That doesn't mean I slacked off while going up. I just focused on running economy, minimizing energy loss.

I kicked in the last 800 meters or so, imagining I was running the last K of the famous Ohme 30 K Road Race with a wall of spectators on either side of the street. 

When I pressed my Ironman sports watch and saw what it said on the display, I couldn't believe my eyes. I was only 42 second behind the target! What an improvement from the previous night. I'm so glad I gave it another try. Though I didn't hit the target tonight, it now seems more achievable than yesterday. Amazing to see how one can make such a big change overnight. It's not that I suddenly became a fast runner. I'd had the potential already yesterday. I simply hadn't figured out yet how to tap it. Now I know. So, things will only get better. 

Midnight 10 K HIll Tempo Run in MUTEKI

 Jan. 8, 2021

460 M: 3:20.94

10 K: 49:20.42 (Target=45:50.00)

900 M: 7:15.91

Total 11.36 K: 59:57.27

I did a tempo run for the first time in a long time. It's one of the training sessions that I find most challenging. But for that reason, benefit is enormous. After you do a tempo run, interval training feels easier. And when interval training is completed well, a tempo run feels easier. It's kind of cyclical, each reinforcing the other. 

I tried not to press on too hard at the beginning as the first half was rich in undulation.(See the map above.)  I increased the pace once the course became flat. I surged in the last K.

Yet when I completed it, time was a lot worse that I'd thought. I was far from the target. My heart sank. But I said to myself, "I'm better than this."

Tomorrow I will do the same training again. My goal is to run it faster. 

10 K Hill Tempo Run

Dec. 11, 2020

Warm Up 2 K: 12:00.45

<10 K Hill Tempo Run: Ultimate Target=4:35/K>

1st K: 4:31.27

I started off at a brisk pace, but was also careful not to go too quick. Extended my stride when going down, and increased cadence and ran in a shorter stride when going up for running economy.                                                                              

2nd K: 4:41.78

The Ks in the even number sets are harder, because the uphill is steeper than the Ks in the odd number sets. The lap deteriorates. But that's expected. 

3rd K: 4:42.68

The heart rate is still significantly high mainly from hammering up the uphill in the last phase of the second K. Want to bring it to a decent level, but soon comes a long downhill where I inevitably increase the pace for a time gain. Once I hit the bottom of the downhill, a slight uphill comes. The incline is minimum, so I control my breathing here to prepare for the second half which is mainly an uphill, not as steep as the last hill of the even number sets. 

4th K: 4:36.65

Surprisingly, the lap was better than the one that immediately preceded it though this one should be harder and therefore the time was expected to be worse. This is mainly because my body was gradually adapted to the fast pace.   

5th K: 4:39.97

I carried on at about the same pace. 

6th K: 4:44.53

The fast pace in the previous two sets slowly started taking a toll on my legs. An inner talk began. Should I quit with this lap? Or should I push myself through till the end???

7th K: 4:41.73

Lactic acid starts building in the legs, making it harder and harder to keep a brisk pace, let along increase it! 

8th K: 4:47.48

Shocked to see my time. It's not even under 4:45. I feel like crying from misery. But promise myself not to be a quitter. I keep on going into the 9th set.  

9th K: 4:43.26

I keep saying to myself, "Two more sets, and it's all over. Two more sets. Just two more sets."

Final K: 4:37.41

A prospect of imminent finish lifts my spirit. I work my arms more to keep a brisk pace. Gave everything I had while climbing the hill. When I reached the top, I felt like nothing more was left in my tank. But there was still a hundred meters to go. I try to surge, but my body won't respond. It feels as though my throat was choked with sand and half-digested pasta was welling up from the stomach. I felt sick to the core. But I pushed. And push I did to finally crossed the finish line to cover the last K in the 3rd best lap for the night.  

Sub-total 10 K: 46:47

Warm Down 2 K: 12:17.92

Total 12 K: 1:11:05

10 K Tempo Run in MUTEKI

Feb. 9, 2020

Warm Up 700 M: 5:00.00

<10 K Tempo Run: Target Pace=4:45/K; Target Time for Each Lap=11:52; Target Finish Time=47:30>

2.5 K: 11:27

2.5 K: 11:17

2.5 K: 11:52

2.5 K: 11:11

Total 10 K: 45:47

Warm Down: 700 M: 5:00.00

It makes me sick to my stomach just to think about doing a tempo run. It's the most stressful training of all. Nevertheless, experience has taught me it is what guarantees the greatest gain. 

I was originally scheduled to do it on Saturday night, but I was too sleepy and tired to do it. I hit the bed immediately after coming home from work and finishing dinner. 

In the morning when I woke up, I was still tired. I dozed in bed for a few extra hours, and finally climbed out of futon around 11 a.m.to eat breakfast. I ate two oranges and a few cloves of garlic that I microwaved. I began to feel a surge of energy slowly building up inside. I put on my running gear and hit the road.

I dressed light to acclimatize for the race. My legs felt heavy in the first lap. But I was well under the target. I tried to ease my pace in the second. But I was comfortably under the target. I switched my breathing from 6 beat to 8 beat. Then finally in the 3rd lap I exactly hit the target. In the final lap I cruised along initially, but then in the second half, kicked a little and finished it in the fastest lap. I was satisfied. 

The hardest training is now over. In the coming 6 days leading to the race I am going to taper gradually except on Thursday night, I am going to a couple of 1 K fast runs just to briefly stimulate my cardio-vascular system. Other than just I'll just jog for an hour every day.

10 K Tempo Run in MUTEKI

Sept. 7, 2019
Target: 12:17.00/2.5 K
2.5 K: 12:00.78 
2.5 K: 12:12.70 
2.5 K: 12:02.09 
2.5 K: 11:50.03 
Total 10 K: 48:05.60 (Target: 49:08.00)

With just 8 days until Kyoho no Oka 20 K Road Race I did 10 K tempo run @ 4:55/K pace. I ran a 2.5 K loop near my house four times, aiming to run each lap under 12:17 to finish running 10 K in 49:08.

I ran all four laps within the target, covering the target distance well under the target time of 49:08.

The training tonight is the last major speed training before the race. Tomorrow I'm going to jog for an hour and half just to relax. On Monday I'm giving myself a full rest. From Tuesday through Saturday I'm just going to jog between 5 and 10 K depending on my mood, except on Friday where I will probably do a couple of 1 K fast runs to stimulate my cardio-vascular systems. The purpose of all training in the last week leading to the race is conditioning. The most important thing is not to get irrecoverably fatigued.