Tuesday is also medium-long day this time around, which means tempo run at lunch and another run after work to finish off the miles. Whew!
I was nervously anticipating my first continuous tempo run of this cycle, and "lunch" couldn't get here fast enough. I was out the door before my co-workers could start fighting over the microwave.
The plan: 2.5K warm-up, 6K tempo @ 4:50/KM, 1.5K cool-down
GO!
I have a bad habit of taking off like a rocket, so I looked down frequently during the first little bit. I kept seeing paces in the 4:15-4:20 range - whoooooahhh! (5K pace of my dreams, but definitely not tempo pace.) It took good couple of kilometres to find the pace without staring at my Garmin constantly, but once I found it I was cruising. The last few kilometres almost felt too easy. (Did I really just say that?) I need these to feel "comfortably hard", but this one was definitely closer to "comfortable". How could I tell? I wanted to keep going. Hubs says that means I should be running them faster. *gulp*
The splits: 4:50, 4:52, 4:45, 4:46, 4:45, 4:40 (no breaks!)
Average tempo pace: 6K (3.7mi) @ 4:46/KM (7:40/mi)
After work, I rounded out my medium-long day with another run. My legs felt pretty decent, surprisingly, as I ran around the neighbourhood for 7.88 KM (4.9mi).
That's 11.11 miles on 1/11/11. I can't help it - I'm a numbers nerd!
That's 11.11 miles on 1/11/11. I can't help it - I'm a numbers nerd!
***
I think I've mentioned before that my new shorter hair cut is really not conducive to lunch runs. Without the option of throwing it into a ponytail, I seem to end up looking like a haggard mess after a run. (In case you're new - there are no showers here!) Winter hat-head combined with sweat-head is just not a good combination. Click here to see what it typically looks like after a run.
It's almost as bad as bed-head.
I discovered that the private washroom has an electric socket and I had an idea: I decided to bring my blow dryer and straightener along. (the bag just keeps getting heavier!) I'm sure my co-workers are wondering what the heck the racket is as they walk by the washroom door - but then, I don't think anything surprises them anymore.
It's not ideal, since I am essentially blow-drying the sweat directly out of my hair (yummy), but it seems to do the trick. I'm a bit more presentable, even if I'm no cleaner. Wouldn't you love to come work beside me??
31 comments:
hahahha. cute bed hair look! hehe
i do that sometimes too. after i have worked out or ran and dont have time to wash and blowdry my hair, i just blow dry the sweat out. gross...i know. but hey, sometimes us runners gotta do wht we gotta do!
also, awesome job on all ur runs, marlene! happy wednesday
You could try the CAKE powder hair refresher stuff to see if that helps? Or, just go shorter! HA. Good on you for the two runs!
LOL! Love the hair! :) And I am really enjoying my tempo runs/speedwork this training cycle. It is fun to see what your body can do :) Nice job!
haha, I know how you feel. When I run at lunch and shower (we do have a shower at work) I always wonder what people are thinking when they hear me in there getting ready. It's just the tiniest bit awkward, but oh well, love me a lunchtime run!
wow...awesome splits! It seems that NONE of the washrooms in our (large) building have outlets for me to be able to dry my hair...I don't think it would go over well if I went into a meeting room to dry it..
Nice pace dude! I have access to a shower and I STILL just dry the sweat in! It takes too long to wash, dry, straighten. Not worth the effort for work people haha!
Haha, you do look like you just woke up...but I have no doubts you got that hair looking awesome in microseconds! Me? I can't do anything to my hair, I am hair retarded! Can you say ponytail 90% of the time?
Nice job back on those intervals, girl!! Woohoo!
Nice times. And I am uber jealous of the Antigua trip. Just shovelled my driveway for the second time today and it's not even noon.
Love the hair! What a good idea to bring your own blowdryer! Awesome job on the splits.
Nice job on your interval! Um, jealous about your trip but jealous in a happy for you way! Love your picture...made me laugh.
That picture really is the best--keep finding ways to post it!
Great job on the run and kudos for finding ways to make it work during lunchtime.
aw, i love that you ran 11.11 on 1.11! :)
I love that photo!
Great way to work with what you have. Many others would skip that run because of the no showers. Way to make it all fit into your circumstances!
that
photo
is
the
best.
I love it.
LOVE it!!
Look at you speedy! Guess you are going to have to start running faster for those tempo runs!
Good idea to blow dry your hair!
That is an advantage of longer hair -- the sweat-slicked pony kinda hides the uggo truth. But, it sound as though you've come up with an innovative solution. I'd probably never think of that and I'd just look gross.
Just cut it all off, like me! I don't have bad hair days any more....
HA I love that you let us all in on the stylish post-run hair look ;)
Killing those tempos! Hubs is right, Speed it UP! Easier said than done, but those legs could take it.
who cares what you look like or how you smell...you're getting out there over lunch and kicking butt!
If only I had the same problem- running too fast!!! That usually lasts a second before I slow'er right down!!
Adorable bed-head! How you manage to run and get presentable for work again in less than an hour amazes me!
I guess that's the one good thing about my long, straw-like hair - it does not seem to be bothered by sweaty winter hat head. But that's probably the only good thing about it. :)
ahh the lunch time runs, how I remember those...people in my office rarely take lunch so it was bizarre for me to leave but i was soooo productive afterwards!
Great pace!
The hairdryer sounds like a great fix. I loved my hair shorter, but it was a bit more work at times.
NICE tempo run!! Why have you decided to break up your MLs this cycle? Just curious :)
Isn't it amazing when you realize that you are getting faster? It just happens and you don't even know it until you hit that 'this isn't that uncomfortable'
Congrats to you on getting speedier. Maybe if you run faster the body won't have time to sweat and then no worries about bed/lunch time head.
Keep on keepin' on Marlene. You motivate and inspire.
Hehehe love the picture.. way to go speedy.. I am thinking of doing doubles with a run on the treadmill when I get home...but not sure I can commit myself to doing it..
KM's are like another language to me.. I remember how excited you were when we passed a KM sign at Seattle Rock N Roll. speaking of rnr Zoe signed up for her FIRST Marathon!!
Great workout, very speedy! Good job!
You are the best lunchtime runner ever! As boring as they seem, there's much to be said for a ponytail. How about some of that dry spray-in shampoo? Now there's an experiment for you!
Love the hair pic!
I have a spiky hairdo, and so I use lots of gel and hairspray to make it stay put. Even a hard strength-training workout during lunch won't make my hair budge!
well now that you're bringing in your hair appliances - why not dunk your head in the sink to help "rinse" some of the sweatiness out? blow drying sweat does not sound good... lol.
and, i would consider investing in a "work" hair dryer and straightener so you don't have to lug them back and forth.
Does your hair have natural curl? Mine is wavy so after a workout, i just put hair spray/gel/product in my hair and let it air dry! much less time consuming!
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