Take it easy

I had done my homework ahead of time. I had previously consulted the web for treadmill pace equivalents when I began to suspect that the treadmill would be my only option of getting my run done at lunch. According to my source, a speed of 6.7-6.8 mph would achieve the pace I wanted with the incline at 1%.

By the time class was excused for lunch, all I needed to do was grab my workout bag from my car and rush to the fitness center. I had about 45 minutes to get there, do my 3-4 mile run, clean up, and return to class. 4 miles was not possible but I could get at least a 3 mile run completed in the allotted time. It would be tight but possible.

As soon as my feet hit the treadmill, I began hitting the keys to set the belt in motion. 6.8 mph – 1% – enter. The treadmill display cycled through the various readings. 8:49/mile pace displayed every minute or so, but I was confident that with the 1% incline that I would finish the mile in less time. As I hit the 1.0 mile mark, I pushed the lap button on Garminia. She reported 8:43/mile. I had let the belt begin moving before signalling Garminia to begin timing. This could acount for the couple of seconds difference from the information that I had gathered.

I continued on, wondering if I had remembered the speed setting correctly. I was “supposed” to be running today’s run at 8:45-9:00/mile pace. The 2.0 mile mark passed and I hit the lap button again. Garminia reported 8:42/mile. Well, at least the pace was consistent. I continued on at the same pace while wresting with the information available to me. I was running at a slightly fast pace, and yet my free time was running out.

I thought back to my emails. Coach had said that he wanted to slow me down this week to allow for my foot to settle down. Here I was, however, running my “easy” run faster than the pace that he advised. I struck a compromise, by running 1/2 mile at 6.8 mph, then slowing down to 6.7 mph for the final 1/2 mile. Mile 3 clicked off at 8:47/mile. I immediately hopped off and wiped down the treadmill. I cleaned myself up as I stretched. I was still sweating a bit as I served up a plate full of lunch and sat down for the grand finale of my training session.