Progressive Running

Progressive running is a new concept that I picked up about a year ago.  Progressive can mean promoting a change or innovation.  It can also mean increasing in severity.  For me, progressive running meant both.  Specifically, it is starting slow and building up faster and faster over the course of a single run.  This was a welcomed diversion from doing a tempo run consisting of a warm-up, a sustained hard effort, and a cool-down.  So, progressive running was not only an increasingly more difficult workout but also an innovative approach to workouts. ..............

The progressive run ends at the fastest pace, but that is also when one’s body is the most tired.  It is a great simulator of racing, because one needs to find a way to push fast when running on empty.  Pulling it off in a progressive run is an amazing feeling and oftentimes seems quite easy.  For example, I have ran some 10 miles progressive runs where the last two miles were actually faster than my fastest 1-mile split in a half-marathon.  Progressive runs are good substitutes for the mundane tempo runs that many training regimens adhere to and are likely more beneficial.  The benefits include working through several different paces, which tax different levels of aerobic and anaerobic output from the body.  Additionally, hitting those final miles well below goal half or full marathon pace are enormous confidence builders.

The progressive run became my favorite workout from the first time I ran one.  Love at first flight I suppose.

Here is my training for the past few days.

On Friday I went for one of my revered progressive runs.  I ran beyond Gilbert and back on the connecting gravel road.  I took the first mile easy, which was 6:52, then decided to drop 10 seconds per mile for the remaining seven miles.  That would make the eighth mile goal 5:40 and a total average of 6:15.  The first four miles went really well.  This is expected since they are the slowest four miles of the workout.  Upon turning around, I got blown sideways by a 15-20 mph wind that had pushed me the whole way north.  Now it was clear why the out trip felt effortless.  I hit my time on the first return mile, but had started breathing harder.  It was clear that the 6:00, 5:50, and 5:40 miles were going to be a grind.  I felt like I was in race mode, but made it.  The last mile was 5:39 and the average was 6:13.  I threw in a cool down mile for good measure.  Total: 9 miles – 56:51 (6:19 pace)

Saturday I planned to do my long run on the mini-mountains around my mom’s farm.  Unfortunately, the list of things she prepared for me to work on was time consuming.  I certainly enjoyed getting the work done, but I ran out of time to also do my long run while still coordinating with my kids’ naps on the ride home.  So, I did an easy run in the dark when I got home instead.  Total: 7 miles – 50:10 (7:10 pace).

For the week (Sun-Sat), I hit 55 miles in 6:10:59 or 6:45/mile.

Having missed my long run on Saturday, I moved it to Sunday.  I decided to explore a little bit and try to map out every trail around Ada Hayden and bike path in the surrounding neighborhood.  It was fun to explore and I even found a hilly route that will serve as my alternative to the Y-trails for cross country practice next fall.  The Y-trails are great, but out of the question on wet days or after the leaves and walnuts have dropped.  Map of route is below.  Total: 16 miles – 1:47:16 (6:42 pace)

I was due for another easy day on Monday, so I headed to Carr Pool and ran in Nutty Woods.  Total: 6 miles – 42:27 (7:04 pace)

Then, I scheduled a track workout for Tuesday.  I decided 5 x half-mile with 3 minutes jog recovery would be suitable.  Normally, I would do more repeats, but the Living History Farms race is coming up on Saturday.  I took a short nap after work and then could hardly drag myself out the door.  Note to self: Run, then nap; not vice versa.  Mentally, I could not get motivated to run on the track, so I headed out to a half-mile prairie loop instead.  I drove my car 2 miles and left it in a parking lot, then ran 1.5 miles as a warm-up to get to my loop.  My first repeat was 2:29.  I was happy to be under 2:35 on this day.  The next one surprised me at 2:23.  At that point, I decided I was feeling pretty good.  I closed out with 2:29 (thanks loose dog for bothering me), 2:24, and 2:28.  During my 3:00 recoveries, I covered about 0.4 miles each time.  Then, I ran the same 1.5 miles to my car as my cool down.  I was completely amazed by my splits on this workout and have gained a new level of confidence heading into my race.  Total: 7.5 miles – 49:00 (6:32 pace)