Thrill Ride on Legs

(Photo via Bicycling)

Today was my first over-an-hour-long run I've done in three weeks. I haven't been running double digits lately because I'm shifting into a different kind of training for a sprint duathlon coming up in a month which will consist of way shorter distances--2.5k run, 17k bike, and 2.5k run.

The main reason I'm choosing to go this way is to cut back on distance running for a while, primarily work on building speed and stamina into my runs as well as work on efficient cycling skills and get used to running with heavy legs from the bike leg to prepare for my next triathlon. So racking on running mileage isn't a top priority as it used to be when I trained for longer running distances!

Today's run workout was:

30 minutes easy
2 x 15 minutes threshold (hard), 5 min recovery in between
20 minutes easy

I get bored easily with run workouts if nothing else is added to spice it up so I made this a hilly session at Sabino Canyon (photo above, one of my favorite training venues in Tucson). I like to think of it as a roller coaster run. Rolling hills that gets you to the top of the canyon makes time fly because you're so concentrated on getting to the top of every hill as if they were mini-goals with the downhills as a reward and your chance to be a speed devil.

One of the best ways to build speed/power is to, yep, throw in some hill work. Better yet, hills that terrify you. Accelerating forward against the gravity that weighs you down gets you stronger and faster. When race day comes, it shouldn't feel as difficult and you'll get the upper hand if it's a flatter course!

Whatever workout I follow, I try to transform it into the "worst possible scenario" by throwing in something challenging or undesirable. It's usually the hills for me and sometimes I wear a baggy t-shirt so it feels harder to swing my arms, carry rocks in hands, wear heavy fluid belt or run at the hottest time of the day like I did today at noon. Or run in any kind of nasty weather--rain, cold, mud..... whatever that makes you dread once you see it. Well, when it comes to bad weather, use your common sense.  Basically, make it a bit (and safely) "worse" so that way when race day comes, ramping up the course won't feel as painful as the ones you do in training. Strategy!

Be wise if you decide to throw in hills with minimal or no experience in hill training. Always work your way up slowly. Best way to start is to do short hill repeats or intervals. Find a hill that will last you 10 seconds when you run it. Surge up 5 times with a minute recovery in between. Make the treadmill your friend if you live in a mostly flat area. Then as it starts to feel easier, you can either increase the volume or intensity by doing more repetitions (5x to 7x or more), shorten the recovery time, increase the hill incline, speed or distance. It's a super fitness booster!