day 115: run

last run before the big day.

i was thinking about doing it outside, but decided not to, for two reasons. well, three.
1. the weather wasn't so great
2. running outside makes me feel really slow and like a crappy runner
3. (the best reason) running outside is harder on my joints and causes me more foot, knee, and hip pain the next day.

treadmill it is! at this point i figured focusing on all the main points of my running form for 50 minutes was the best course (the checklist: 160 footstrikes per minute; landing on the balls of my feet quick and light; landing under my pelvis; keeping knee angle fixed until recovery; trying to master the heel-flick for better turnover; transverse abs engaged; shoulders back; relaxed hands and breathing. oh, is that all?).

i had a great run, and had a weird sort of breakthrough revelation that may not hold true when i run outdoors, but maybe it will. my aerobic capability isn't keeping me from running faster. so maybe i should just run faster.

follow my reasoning here. when you're tired and running, running 10 min/mi kind of sucks and hurts because you're tired. but running 9.15 min/mi will probably suck about the same amount. if it's not making you suck wind to speed up, can't you sort of just...speed up? i think so, man. today i tested this theory and ran the first 40 min at my normal pace, and the last 5 min sprinting. this is realistic because i want to sprint at the end of a race, anyway. but if running faster is going to tax me hard, i'd see it more easily at the end of a run. the sprint was fine, i wasn't out of breath at all (i went from a 9.33 min/mi pace to 9.05 and then, 8.52) and my heart rate only went up from 150 to 165. so seriously, i might ask myself on sunday, when i feel myself flagging in the 10k...come on dude, maybe if running this slow sucks, you can enjoy how much it sucks and go a little faster? i think i'll give it a go.

also, i've been thinking about a little strategy. i know, i know. first race, just finish it. that's goal number 1, i swear. coming in at 3:30 or less is goal number 2. but i need to figure out how to accomplish that. a lot of people talk about saving themselves on the bike and not going too hard so that they have something left for the run. let's be frank here. the bike is my best discipline. the swim is my second best. the run is my worst, physically, mentally, and in terms of experience level. even when i'm fresh, a great 10k for me would be at a 9.30 min/mi pace. really great. and when i'm already tired from over 2 hours of exertion, i am doubtful that this can happen. when tired, i think i can carry 10-10.20 min/mi pace with no issue. so that's a net gain of 1 min/mi, at worst, over 6 miles. that's 6 minutes. i stand to create more of a lead over other people if i push a little harder during the swim and the bike; you stand to gain about 20 min or so on the bike if you haul ass going 20 mph versus tooling around at 16 mph. so a lot of people can run faster than i can; 7-8 min/miles in my age group. that's about 2 min/mi faster, which is about 12 min over the course of the run. if i can put the hurt down on the bike and pick up 20 min over slower bikers, even if they run faster...i'd have a better lead than if i backed off on the bike and tried to run as fast as i've ever run. everyone follow my logic here? good, cause it's my race plan.

WORKOUT
50 min run, 4.8 mi (treadmill)
walk to gym as warmup
10 min from jog to pace
3x10 min run, 1 min walk (9.33 min/mi)
5 min sprint (9.05 to 8.52 min/mi)
4 min cooldown