Friday had a date with the treadmill. Like most, I generally find treadmill work boring and use it mainly to stay out of the cold. Not so on Friday. I grabbed some 5 pound dumbbells, set the incline on 15%, and let 'er rip. The first hour was hard enough, but the word "boring" never crept into my head. The second hour I started to get the "goose bumps" I always get when my electrolytes are gone...who brings food to a treadmill workout? Though the weather was pleasant enough outside, I wanted to focus on the constant incline work to make sure I am prepared for California in June (although the section I will be running on is not that bad terrain-wise, I don't want to be an anchor if Willie wants to start knocking out 8 minute miles. Pam Reed writes in her book, The Extra Mile, that energy is contagious, and while a happy, fresh pacer can really help to melt the miles a tired, overworked pacer becomes either dead weight for the runner or an excuse to drop.)
All the way through the third and final hour, those dumbbells made it seem like I was carrying my runner. I must have looked the part. A fellow was standing next to me saying something. I removed my headphones and grunted. He repeated his question "Are you training for something?"
I am gasping in reply. Yes. Springburn. 5K.
Dead serious, I put my headphones back in and finished the hour. Ya'll would have loved the look on that dudes face.
recovery
1 day ago
4 comments:
The only 8 minute miles I'll be running are the ones away from the Cougar.
3 hours on an incline treadmill with weights? Lee, are you okay? Is Willie paying you enough for this torture? :-)
Christa
Holy Crap Lee!! You are totally insane! How did you not die of boredom? Did you hold the weights or stick 'em in a backpack? I've been doing alot of treadmill incline work for Leadville, but an hour is the most I've been able to do without going nuts... and that was sans weights!
Make sure you are in front when pacing Willie at WS. Cougars are ambush predators and usually attack the second runner. Make sure you have a camera to document Willie wrastlin that kitty to submission. Sick workout, I'm waiting until May before I get into the abusive hill training. Talk at you soon.
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