Week 5 Key Run #1

Monday: Cross trained. First 30 minutes on the elliptical set at Random, Level 12 good for 3.2 miles. Then 40 minutes on the lifecycle set at Random, Level 10-12 good for 10 miles. Then back to the elliptical for 30 minutes more at the same setting good for 3.3 miles. Finished up with 10 minutes on the stairstepper good for 51 floors. Went home and swam 512 meters.

Tuesday: Cross trained. First 60 minutes on the elliptical set at Random, Level 10 good for 6.7 miles. Then 60 minutes on the lifecycle set at Random, Level 10 good for 15 miles. Finished with 10 minutes on the stairstepper set at Random, Level 12 good for 52 floors.

Wednesday: Week 5 Key Run #1 calls for 10-20 min easy run, then 3 x 1600 meters with 1 minute RI and 10 minute cool-down. My pace for the 1600 meters is 6:05. Started by warming up on the TM at a fast walk for two minutes and then 7 mph for a couple of minutes and moving it up to 7.5 mph for a couple more minutes, then 8 mph and the rest of the warmup at 8.5 mph good for 3 miles in about 25 minutes. Then set the TM to 9.9 mph (which comes to 6:03 mpm) and started the first one mile repeat. Did great to the finish and slowed down to 7 mph for the one minute of RI. Set it back to 9.9 and had to really hang on to finish the mile and then dropped down to 7 mph again...but I took an extra minute to get ready for the final mile. I was so beat I started at 8 mph and took it up gradually by 0.5 mph every 30 seconds to 10 mph and finished the set. Dropped down to 7 mph for about 3 minutes then set it at 8 mph for the rest of the hour. Came out to 8.1 miles total. I'm beginning to not like speed work...it's really hard for me to do. I finished with the 10 minutes on the stairstepper good for 52 floors, went home and swam 536 meters in the pool.

Overall a very good workout, but I haven't been able to complete these speed workouts without some cheating. There is no way I could have done anything close to what I did if I had to have done it outside. It hit 102F with a heat index of around 117F. Even now at 8:00 pm it's still 97F with a heat index of 109F...Hot...Hot...Hot!