5-10K: week 1, day 2 {5.13.2013}

Enter what I believe we call “speed work.”

We are definitely not in Kansas anymore.

This 5-10K program does not mess around. It is continuing the concept of intervals, but instead of switching it up between walking and running, I am now being subjected to bouts of running and FASTER running.

Oh. Ok, then.

After the standard five minute warm up, the app directed me to “jog”  for ten minutes, and then to bust out a “fast, steady” or “tempo” run for three. When that time was up, I could slow it down for a final ten minute jog, and then a five minute cool down. I have been unsure of how and when to add speed work, so I’m kind of grateful that the 5-10K app is giving me guidance on the matter. From glancing ahead, it seems like Day 2 of every week will involve some combination of faster and slower runs on a gradually increasing basis.

I did notice that I pulled more power from my quads and upper legs when I did the faster tempo. Most of the time, I feel like I am just using my feet and lower legs, but I definitely felt the burn in my gluts and the fronts of my thighs during those three minutes. I’m interested to see how that develops over time.

My biggest challenge for this day, quite frankly, were the fire ant bites on my feet, right inside my shoe line. I hope they stop bothering me by the time I lace up on Wednesday morning, because they were pretty darn aggravating. Fingers crossed.

Also annoying? My stats are all wonky. I walked .72 miles at an average of 13:27 minutes per mile, and ran 2.30 miles at an average of 10:27 a mile. WhenI was doing my tempo run, I was keeping pace at a high 9/low 10, and that was pretty cool.

I’m feeling confident. A little cautious – after all, this is where we see the stuff of which I am made. My plan is to just take it easy, listen to my body, remember to stretch, cross-train on the regular and do my best. It’s all I can do.