Four laps of the track: 1,609.344 meters. This is the mile, and running it as fast as I can is my goal for this “running” summer.
A simple goal but no less important or challenging. Yep, because the mile is, yes, a short distance but it pemits improved pacing, both in short races (such as the 5 or 10k) and cross-country races. Running the mile is the basis of athletics!
“Find your fast” is not just a campaign, launched by Nike a few weeks ago. For me, a runner who is more like a tortoise than a hare, it is a challenge first and foremost with myself: to run a mile, and to run it fast, is to believe that I can get to improve my endurance over 10k and beyond while staying tuned to my body.
Indeed, tuning not only my legs but also and especially my mind in the same direction and with the same goal: to stay focused and fast.
(Focused and fast. Focused and fast. Focused and fast–repeat with me ‘as a mantra!)
And so, on with the “fastest mile program”: 8 weeks of training to get to next August 30 to run my fastest mile, and do it together with the athletes engaged in the World Athletics Championships in Beijing.
A workout (if you’d like to join me you can find it here) put together by the coaches of the N+RC Nike Run Club and featuring an all-star team of pacers…or rather, Zoom Pacers: the LOONEY TUNES!
The first two weeks were used to adjust to the change in speed and discover the different paces, with tempo run workouts (constant gait for 4k) for the first week, and fartlek the second. My fellow adventurers were Bugs Bunny and Lola Bunny…basically two weeks of virtual carrot chasing!!!
Keeping me company, in addition to the two cute rabbits, were my new Air Zoom Elite 8s, and believe me, running in such a comfortable, lightweight, and responsive shoe is truly space cool!
This week it’s Sylvester Cat’s turn and fast splits, and with Sylvester used to chasing behind Tweety, you don’t mess around! So: 4 days of “recovery” (days 1, 3, 5 and 7) with max 8k outings, 1 day with endurance training (on day 6, with targeted training between 6.5 and 11 km. to run) and as many as two days under the banner of Speed Run: interval Training on day 2 and precisely Speed Split: 3 intervals of 1,000 mt each with only 90 seconds of recovery between km. Eventually I was ready to nab the canary Tweety, too!
Appointment for next week. There will be Tweety herself to keep me company for 7 days with uphill repeats (and I will already be in the mountains!) and the Tempo Run on the 5k.