Run Less, Run Faster

The Lake Minnetonka Half Marathon is 17 weeks away.  I love the fact that this race has been on my calendar since October (or so).  This race, coupled with the unseasonably warm winter we've had this year have kept my running more on track than it has ever been through the Winter.

Don't get me wrong, for much of the month of December I gave myself permission to only run when I felt like it. I took a lot of classes at the gym, ran some miles, lifted some weights...  The training plan I generally follow for this distance is 12 weeks, so there's still some time before official training begins, but I like moving into that 12 week window with a decent base.

You will recall I've set a New Year's resolution of sorts to do speed work once a week. I've been reading the book "Run Less, Run Faster" with my eye on a sub-two hour half marathon in 2012 (mostly likely not the Lake Minnetonka Half).  I am not doing the book any service to say that I incorporated one principle in my workout on Monday.  I did a 5 mile run with 1.5 miles at tempo pace.

Monday morning I had my annual exam early, but I didn't need to be at work until 10:00am.  I showed up to my doctor's appointment in my running clothes and went and ran the trail afterward.  I went 2.5 miles out on the trail with my goal of keeping my pace around 9:30/mile.  At the turnaround I kicked it in with the goal of holding a 8:30/mile pace for 1.5 miles then finish the run around a 10:00/mile to cool down.  I was worried the fast mile in the middle of my run would chew up my legs, but I felt awesome.  I had a hard time brining my pace down when the tempo portion was over.  My final mile or so came in around 9:20/mile.

I think runs like this will be a better way to incorporate speed work into my training.  I don't think the totality of "Run Less, Run Faster" training is probably for me, but I am open to trying their other suggestions after a successful effort Monday!