M.O.R.E.: Blazing Speed?

Wednesday, March 25, 2009

Blazing Speed?

The "blazing" refers to the weather, it seems we always pick the hottest day of the week to do our "speed" workout. It was warm today, but that wasn't the worst part, it was the headwind that was blowing on our second mile which of course was slightly uphill and more than a minute slower than our first mile. We sent my son on ahead because he was going to run the longer route, and he doesn't want to wait around for us to discuss our days, go to the bathroom, etc. etc. It does take us a while to get going! We decided to do the first mile at a controlled 8:30 minute mile and try to maintain that the whole time, instead of going out as fast as possible to start and dying out at about the half way point. This worked really well on the first mile and we maintained a comfortable 8:30 minute pace the whole mile (I started to fade just in the last few feet). Once we turned around however and started back it was a different story, we were running into a very strong wind, and literally felt like a wind tunnel going under the Decoro bridge! "Marathon Mom maintained a good 20 to 30 second lead on us the whole time, so I was truly hoping that she had just decided to speed the pace up a bit on the second mile. No such luck! She informed us that we were having a hard time keeping a 9:40 pace for that mile, but that our average for the 2 miles was around 8:45 which is really, all things considered, very respectable and makes me feel pretty good. I was dreading having to post something after our speed workout because I know it is always negative, but I have to say that today was a "good" run day, and with a little less wind resistance, maybe next time will be even better! My son may want to wait a bit before he runs off next time, because he was already finishing up as we were just getting started, he did get plenty of time for a cool down though.

2 comments:

marathon mom said...: We were actually maintaining around a 9.0 min pace on the way back into the wind. If we were running 9.40, I wouldn't advertise it on the blog. It was pretty bad on the way back (more than I could remember in a long time), but I'm looking forward to increasing our tempo to 3 miles as we get stronger and yes, we are getting stronger. As much as I dread doing the work, it does feel good afterwards to know that we are pushing a little harder. You and C did much better this week, and I don't think you walked at all, right? Never mind, I don't want to know.; March 25, 2009 at 10:12 PM
Patty said...: I was wondering how you did that"fuzzy" math with a 9:40 and a 8:30 mile, I guess I just heard you wrong. A 9.0 pace is much better, I can sleep a bit better tonight. I did not walk today, that is the truth, I cannot speak for C but she wasn't far behind so I don't think so.; March 25, 2009 at 10:22 PM

Post a Comment

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.