M.O.R.E.: Speed Work or Hills?

Monday, February 2, 2009

Speed Work or Hills?

This was the question K asked me when we were discussing our run today and what we wanted to accomplish. Usually on Monday's we don't put in long mileage, because we are coming off of a longer weekend run. I had to smile though when she asked the question, because I wasn't quite sure what to say to that one, (neither one, came to mind). I had my first physical therapy session today, and the one thing the therapist told me about running was to stay off of the hills, so the obvious choice was speed work. Let me just say that "speed work" for ladies of our age, (to be fair K is younger by about 5 yrs) is kind of comical. After a short warm up, we were instructed to run a half mile at an pace out of our comfort zone, this was negotiated down from a mile at an uncomfortable pace. The comments from the girls were an indication of our enthusiasm for "speed work" for instance I heard "just about any pace is out of my comfort zone", "after a half mile, then what, we die", and classic was when K asked M why she was holding back, she said "I was afraid we were going to do repeats". It did feel good when we finished the half mile, and caught our breath, and realized we ran a pretty good pace, but it really makes you appreciate the work our kids put in on a day when they go out and run 10x800, or 8x300, or even worse "mile repeats". I hope they appreciate what their bodies can do, and enjoy their youth while they can. As for me, I made it through the "speed workout" and I feel pretty good!

2 comments:

marathon mom said...: You only appreciate your body's ability to do those types of workouts when you get to our age. I better go charge my GPS for our next run to keep us honest. You all did great, but I was wondering why M was able to keep talking while the rest of us could barely breath. She WAS holding back!; February 2, 2009 at 9:07 PM
Patty said...: I should have known, because when M is really running, I can never catch her. She was trying to hold me back by talking to me! I never trust the mileage without the GPS. I would be surprised if we did much over 3.; February 2, 2009 at 10:13 PM

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Favorite Trails

South Fork 3.1: Start from dirt parking lot on Magic Mtn Pkway and run to the loop at Wiley Bridge and return the same way.

Tesoro 3.25: Start in Albertson parking lot and take sidewalk/trail until it ends and then enter the water tower road to the top two towers where the ends. Return the same way.

Chesebrough 3.25/4.60: From Chesebrough Park, N. to Copperhill, So. on Bike Trail, turn around at Decoro, back up trail to power lines to bridge at park. Turn around at Heritage will give you 4.6 miles.

Chesebrough 3.5: Chesebrough Park down to McBean, south to Northpark Dr., the paseo trailhead. Take the paseo to Helmers and back. Very hilly.

Bridgeport 4.0: Fairly flat, run toward Lowes and under Bouquet bridge to RiverPark community until you reach the closed gates and return. For a hilly run, go north into Helmers and run up the paseo switchbacks into Northpark where the paseo ends and return the same way.

Chesebrough 4.0: N. to Copperhill to west side of river trail, run S. on Bike Trail past Decoro bridge, across Decoro to the east side of river trail, up back to power lines trail, back to park.

Chesebrough 4.0: From park down power line trail to Heritage Park and back same way.

Bridgeport 4.0: From School, cross McBean via bridge or street and head into industrial center on Ave. Scott Bridge and enter bike trail going south toward the train bridge. Turn around at train bridge and return same way or cross the bridge and head toward Peet's after crossing train bridge and back onto the Lowes Trail.

Heritage 4.0: From park, run up bike trail to Decoro, over McBean Bridge into Helmers, and into Bridgeport through lake trail back to park. Can be done in reverse. Moderately hilly.

Chesebrough 4.25: Chesebrough north to Copperhill, left to Albertson side of bike trail. Run south on trail to Decoro and cross over bridge and head north all the way to Copperhill on east side of river trail and back to the park the same way as started.

Cheese/Decoro/Helmers 4.25: From the park, down dirt trail to bike path, south to Decoro. Leave bike path at Decoro and cross paseo bridge at McBean. Stay on paseo up hill towards Helmers. Run up water tower trail once then continue on to switchbacks and paseos back to park.

Heritage/Bridgeport 3.3: Heritage Park south to McBean Bridge @ Panera. Cross and head toward Lowes bike trail and head east toward Bridgeport Park. Halfway mark is at park bathroom, head back by entering trail along the lake and back onto the bridge.

Lowes 4.25: Lowe's parking lot to McBean, cross the bridge and to South Fork. At Valencia Bridge, enter trail behind Hart Baseball diamonds. Continue on trail to Bouquet and across the bridge on the east side and back under the bridge again towards Lowes.

Peet's & Decoro 5.2: Peet's Coffee to train bridge path; to Decoro and across bridge; back down McBean side of bike trail back to Peete's.

Peet's & Wiley 6.0: Start at Peet's Coffee and head east toward South Fork trail and past the Wiley Bridge. Keep running another 200 yards to where the trail forks left and right. Turn back same way.

Peet's & Copperhill 6.0: From Peet's to bike trail heading north to Copperhill and back.

Albertson 7.0: From the Albertson parking lot on Copperhill, enter the westside bike trail and head south until the train bridge. Return the same way.

Peet's 8.5: Run to Copperhill on east side of river trail and return via train bridge on other side.

Lowes 10: Start in the Lowes parking lot. Enter the bike trail heading west. At McBean, cross the bridge and head east toward SouthFork trail. Continue on trail until you come to the Wiley bridge and head back the same way.

McBean 14: This route can be done from anywhere along the trail route. Starting from McDonald's across the post office, run to the end of the South Fork trail and return the same way, cross the McBean bridge and run on the Lowes trail until you hit Bridgeport Elementary and then cross Newhall Ranch via the bridge or street and run back towards McBean. Continue north on McBean until you hit Copperhill. At Copperhill, cross McBean and enter San Francisquito bike trail and run south on the trail until you are back at McDonalds.