Speedwork....aka....TORTURE

There is this saying..it goes like this:  If you want to run faster, you have to run faster.

Brilliant, right??  It changed your life, right???  

In order to run fast, you have to run faster....that means speedwork.

 It's hard.  It's really hard.  It makes you want to stay in bed or go back to bed to just give up running forever because you are never going to get any better.

But, then you get there.  Your friends are there.  It's 4:45am in the morning and you have work to do.  

On this particular day, the work is 4x800.  Simply, run 1/2 mile at a specific pace.  Rest and repeat.  Seems pretty simple.  But you see, that specific pace is faster than you like to run.  It is faster than you think you can run.  It is faster than you want to run.  But you have to do it....4 (or 6 or 8) times in a row.  You can't slow down.  

Some background.  Our little group is a gab session with a running problem.  If we run too fast (like any kind of fast....like at all), we can't talk.  So, we go slow.  It works.  However, we have a time goal at Shamrock....PR for Pegs.  It is going to happen.  After we get her a PR, we are setting our sights on mine.  2016 is the year of smashing goals.  But, we have to run faster.  Our typical pace is a 15 minute mile.  This is talking in full sentences, very little huffing and puffing.  It's slow.....frustratingly slow.

So, back to speedwork.  Our goal for each 800 was 5:50 (An 11:40 minute mile.)  This is BLAZING fast compared to where we have been running.  

So, we put on our big girl panties.  We stopped talking and we ran.  
Speed work is usually done on a track, but the track is REALLY dark at 4:45.  Our normal spot has a good 1/4 mile stretch that is measured and well lit and close to the cars.  It became our track.  Up and back, walk to the other end....up and back, walk to the other end.  

We did it.  We stayed between 5:50 and 6:00 for all 4 repeats.  We didn't use our walk breaks.  We ran.  I like music for speedwork. It helps me tune out and run.  I put in one headphone so I could hear if anything was said, but we ran.  We thought about stopping at 3 repeats because of time.  But, the plan said 4.  What is 6 more minutes?  We sucked it up.  Nobody was late for work. 

It was hard.  It was work.  It was tiring. It was fantastic!!  It was amazing to be back at pace.  It a a confidence boost that I really needed.  It felt good.  

Not all runs are good.  This one was.  I can't wait for the next one.