Tuesday, April 22, 2008

Tempo Tuesday

So, every Tuesday morning for the last two months I've run a hard 10 miler to test my tempo legs. Taking a page from Morton and Clifton, I have been trying to build length strength and speed simultaneously with this weekly workout. It's basically a road loop with rolling hills through Sun Valley (all between 6000 and 7000 feet).

Over this two month period I have been averaging 1:05 to 1:08 for the loop. This morning, much to my surprise, I busted it out in 1:02 and felt very strong at the end.

I am basically writing this because I find it interesting and a bit perplexing how, why, and, most of all, when, the body adapts to a certain training volume and is ready to put the hammer down. With just over two months before the Big Dance I now feel like I am ready to increase the volume and intensity and see how it all plays out. I must admit, at this point in my preparations I feel as though I am in the best shape I've been in since 2005.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not about to switch to 180 mile weeks in the Grand Canyon in bare feet but I am psyched to pick things up a bit. Sub-17 may actually be in the cards after all!

AJW

PS -- I'll be joining a bunch of those anonymous Oregonians during the first weekend of May on the Western States Course. Should be fun! I bet I'll be doing all the talking:)

8 comments:

Joe Kulak said...

I knew you had some stealth speed work and tempo training going on! Sounds like an equivalent of a 60 - 62 minute 10 miler at sea level. On legs with miles on them none-the-less. Cool!

Different styles of training and running have proven successful at WS. Morton's and Johnson's was just pure raw speed. Scott's probabaly represents one of the best combinations of mileage, hills, speed and tempo work. Not to mention nutrition and lifestyle. Although downhill 'toughening' is good training it's only part of the equation.

Anonymous said...

Did you see how fast some of the Oregonians you'll be competing against ran at the Pear Blossom 10 miler recently?

Pear Blossom Results

AJW said...

No, I didn't! That settles it, I'm moving to Oregon. Now the question is, where? Bend, Ashland, Eugene, Portland, hmmm...what is the best running town in Oregon?

Anonymous said...

Klamath Falls

Hank Dart said...

With speed like that, seems like you should have been in Boston with Idaho's Mitchell.

Anonymous said...

With speed like that AJW might have broken the top 100 at the women's trials at Boston.

Anonymous said...

Perhaps the best Oregon running town for you would be the one with the best beer. That criteria might suggest Bend and Deschutes Brewery. Good access to trails, too.

Paul Charteris said...

AJW

Hopefully I'll see you here in early May. Should I forgo the whole Miwok festivities (likely at this stage) I'll probably camp at Michigan Bluff that weekend.

I think Miwok will suck in most of the local trail ultrarunner community. The only people left on the WS trail that weekend will be those with something to prove on June 28.

Cheers, Paul