Almost done the first week of WAA.  Today was another running day.  I am starting to like them even more now that they provide big boosts into my WAA total, lol.  I actually decided to make today a speed training day.  I followed a workout that I found in Runner’s World but added an extra mile to the warm-up and cool-down running sections.  I was on the dreadmill, but still felt like I had a really good run.

Speed workout (total 5 miles):
2mi@4.4mph warm-up
+6X(.01mi@5.5-6.0mph+.01mi@4.4mph)
+1.8mi@4.4mph cool-down

In addition to the mileage I ran I also had .7 in warm-up and cool down walks and 1.53 miles walking with Tillie.  Total mileage for today was 7.23.

I can’t help but feel like I am cheating when exchanging an aerobic weight training workout for mileage in the Walk Across Arizona program. However, I feel like if I don’t I will be cheating out my team for mileage that they are do. So here is what I am going to due. On my training rotation I have added a column called WAA. Here is where I am going to write the Walk Across Arizona mileage equivalent for my activities for the day. These are the numbers I will report to Pat as my weekly total. However, my ticker will only represent the mileage that I have traveled by foot either walking or running. My goal is to reach 410 by walking or running. Everything else will just be icing on the cake for my team.

For today I have taken the dog for a walk of 1 mile. I am getting ready to head out the door to take her for another for 1.1 miles. I also did a FIRM workout, which is considered aerobic weight training. It had me sweeting and my heart racing at times, but I wouldn’t consider it “breath[ing] very hard and perspire heavily”, so I am only going to count it at a moderate intensity. Since 30 minutes = 1 mile and I worked out for 40 minutes I am counting it as 1 mile. That gives me 3.1 for today as seen on my training rotation. 😀

Tomorrow is “Take it and Run Thursday”. Check in to see a post from me about “Motivation”. Now I just need to get motivated to write it. 😉

This morning I woke up and did a 5 mile run.  Not just a 5 mile run, but a 5 mile tempo run.  Not just a 5 mile tempo run, but a 5 mile tempo run in the mid 30s.  Not just a 5 mile tempo run in the mid 30s, but a 5 mile tempo run in the mid 30s and steady rain. 

Okay, confession time.  I am not really one to head out the door with a mind on what kind of run I am going to be doing unless I am doing a speed workout.  I just go out and run whatever pace was comfortable to me and when I got done I would check my speed and give it a name that I thought fit it.  Last night while “powdering my nose” I was reading an article in Runner’s World about finding your perfect pace.  It explained that most runners can use their perceived exertion to determine what their pace is.  It also explained that a tempo run should be at an effort that will allow them to only get about 2 or 3 words out whenever they try to speak.  I used that on my run today.  Actually I kept trying to repeat outloud, “Testing, testing, one, two, three” as I ran.  It worked pretty well.  Most of my 5 milers recently have been pushing the 1:10 mark.  Today I kept myself at a tempo run pace and came in at 1:04.  Would love to get that back under 1:00.  That is where it was two years ago at this time.  So that will be a goal for me. 

So today I ran 5 miles with .63 in warm-up and cool-down and took Tillie for a .52 mile walk.  That is 6.15 more miles towards Walk Across Arizona.  🙂

With my marathon training I got into a habit of taking my rest days and elongating them. One rest day would turn into 2 or 3 or at my worst 4. The Walk Across Arizona is giving me the drive to keep moving, even on my rest days. Today I took Tillie for two 1.1 mile walks. It felt great to spend more quality time with her and get out and enjoy the warmer weather. Yes I referring to the mid-30s that I just walked in as warmer weather. It is warmer compared to the 10s we were in last week. Right now I am getting ready to go down and do a yoga workout. I am hoping it will help me sleep better than I did last night. Wish me luck.

I feel as though I am off to a great start with the Walk Across Arizona. Of course it helps that the first day fell on the same day as a long run doesn’t it? 😀 I had a 6 mile long run on schedule for today. Add in the .44 mile warm-up on the treadmill and the .25 mile cool-down walk through the neighborhood and that brings the total for my run today to .69. I just this minute returned from a walk with the dog that covered 1.1 miles. That brings my grand total for today to 7.78 miles. That is .78 miles above my goal for the day.  As you have probably already noticed I added a ticker to my page to track my mileage on my way my goal.