Tuesday, July 20, 2010

Tempo Tuesday

It's Tuesday and you know what that means - Tempo Time!

After two weeks of 6K (3.7mi) tempo runs, this morning I increased to 8K (5mi). At the end last week's run, an extra 2K seemed impossible; turns out, it wasn't!

The cooler temp (and no humidity for a change) felt fantastic and surely helped... a good reminder that we just have to hang in there through these summer months and it will pay off in the fall.

I always feel heavy and sluggish during the warm-up - I think my legs just need some time to wake-up given the 5:20AM start.

Off we go...

3K warm-up @ 18:21

Target Tempo Pace = 5:00/KM or faster

5:04 - legs needed a little more time to wake up
4:57
5:00 - perfect: learn this pace!
4:54
5:01 - needed a quick and desperate potty stop, took a sec to find the rhythm again
4:49 - had to make up for the stop!
4:54
4:48 - last one has to be the fastest!

Average tempo pace: 4:56/KM (=7:56/mi).

I love getting these done in the morning so I don't have to think about it all day long. Tempo runs are the ones I dread anticipate the most, and they're also the most rewarding.

What did you accomplish before 6:30 AM?

36 comments:

No Longer Using said...

first?!

Anonymous said...

good job marlene!
i am loving the cooler weather these days!!!

No Longer Using said...

yay :) and woo woo great job!!!!

i have to admit, today= zero accomplished before 6:30. and i didn't even sleep well, so all around thumbs down. ahh well! i will "get up and go" one of these days. i do most of my workouts in the evening.

TMB @ RACING WITH BABES said...

Great job! Your speedwork always inspires me.

I had 3 miles of my 8 miler under my belt by 6:30 ...

Jocelyn said...

I really need to stop reading your blogs on Tuesday mornings, they make me feel so lazy! haha AWESOME job waking up and getting your tempo run in!! You go girl :)

Indi said...

Well..certainly didn't accomplish as much as you did :)awesome job on the temp runs.
Me I was getting out the door headed to work..guess that as productive as I get on a weekday at 6.30am!

EndorphinBuzz said...

Awesome work. I decided to sleep in today. I'll regret it tonight I'm sure when I go out for my run!

Anonymous said...

Actually, at 6:30am, I've already been at work for 30 minutes! ha! I get up at 4am to be at work by 6am. It's a sad life, really. LOL

abbi said...

Great job! I know how you feel about getting stuff out of the way early in the morning. By 6:30 this morning, I had already run 4 miles, showered and started my work day!!

abbi said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Gotta Run..... said...

today was an off a.m. workout for me but tomorrow is a very different story. Way to KNOCK IT OUT!

Bethany + Ryan said...

nice job!! I did speed work this morning at the track. it was weird, i was FAST, lol. somedays it just feels so easy and other days not so much. i started doing Yasso's 800s in prep for my fall marathon. my goal was 3:25 per 800 but ended up averaging 3:08 per 800. i'm not really that fast tho. maybe bc my apt is about 120 degrees so when i stepped outside it felt like winter! lol. i'll probably do the medal post tomorrow night.

ShutUpandRun said...

I did my tempo this a.m. too. 1 mile w/u, 4 miles tempo (@8:00), I mile c/d. You're right, it feels good to get it done early!!!!

Unknown said...

I got my morning run in today. Still starting though, so not as long. I had run, showered and eaten breakfast by 6:30. I love morning runs.

Jamie said...

Another fantastic tempo tuesday!!!

hmmm... i had accomplished sleep by 630 am :)

Anonymous said...

"it will pay off in the fall" <-- please be true! Humidity is speed-run kryptonite, no?

Wouldn't know it by looking at those splits ;) nice work!!

I attempted a bike ride before 6:30 a.m. - outside: not successful, thanks to street blockage...inside on the trainer: successful, but boring. ;)

Runners Fuel said...

Good job! Before 6:30, I sleep.

ajh said...

I accomplished nothing before 6:30 a.m. but I was out there before 8 a.m. and the humidity was still fine! Good job on your tempo workout!

Denise said...

great job!! as for accomplishing something before 6:30, you got me. but that's only because i'm swimming after work today!

Mark said...

You just keep getting better! Nice consistency on the repeats!

J said...

Great tempo run Marlene! Way to start your Tuesday off!

Usually I am pretty productive before 630am but not this morning. I did have breakfast and pack my lunch before 630am though. Saving the legs for tonight's track workout.

Michelle said...

Great job on the tempo run!

I so hope you're right about things paying off when it gets cooler! Humidity was brutal here so I just did 2.5 mi and was showered and ready to go by 6:30!

Emz said...

I love early workouts!

Awesome job on the tempo run!!!!!!!!!!!!!

And yay [for you] for coller temps!!

AZ - UGGGG!!!!!! ;)

Laura said...

Wicked. I succeeded in not keeping my cool driving to work with bad GTA drivers.
Am heading out in a bit for my tempo run!

joyRuN said...

Nice work on that tempo!

I got one load of laundry in the wash before 0630. That's my accomplishment for the day.

Nicole @ Haute Runner said...

Great job Marlene! I wish I could get a morning workout in the AM but I am on my way to work at 6:30am which is early enough for me!!

Heather said...

Great job on the speedy tempo run!

Heather said...

Great job on the speedy tempo run!

Anonymous said...

Good job on the early morning tempo runs! I can't say I accomplished much before 6 am this morning, but I stayed at the gym until late last night running. So it all evens out! LOL - keep up the good work!

Middle Name Marie said...

Great job on the tempo run--I am totally jealous of the low humidity!

Unknown said...

So how was Bon Jovi, girl???
I slept in until 7:00 and accomplished nothing but blissful recuperation until then!

Anabela (Bela) Neves said...

LOL nothing. I got up at 7am! Good for you!

Being Robinson said...

yeah i keep telling myself the same thing about the heat and humidity--it isn't letting up at all here. boo. but yeah, it will pay off. nice tempo btw!

Felice Devine said...

Nice work!!
I accomplished nothing but sleep before 6:30am.

Nicole said...

way to go girl!! i had tempo tuesday too! :) however mine was at 5pm in the middle of the day with LOADS Of humidity and heat! oh well though! teehee!!! :) way to rock it!

Jill said...

Tempos give me a lot of anxiety, I always start them way too fast and then don't have enough energy at the end. Kinda like a lot of my races...haha! Nice work, girl!!! And what did I accomplishs before 6:30? Why, that's be nothing...cuz I'm tapering and I get to rest. yay!