The Need for Speed – And the Struggle that Comes With It

Wednesday’s Workout: cycle – strength

Thursday’s Workout: CSI; running – 2 m on treadmill, speed work

So:  I don’t ♥ speed work.  I’m beginning to understand why I’ve never done it.  It’s freakin’ HARD!!!!  But, nothing worth doing is easy, right?  (Tonight was the first time in a really long time that I’ve been on a treadmill, too, and I always struggle mentally with that.  I’d much rather be outside but it was pretty darn cold today.  That wouldn’t have been so much of an issue except that I was also planning to do CSI, and between the clothes I would have had to wear to run to the gym in the cold and the clothes I would have had to change into to work out comfortably inside…well, let’s just say it didn’t make sense to do both.  So I ran inside after CSI.)  To work on my speed, I ran at my “normal” pace (10 min mile) for about 1 1/2 minutes and then I’d pick it up to a tough but sustainable pace (8 min mile) for 30 seconds.  This wasn’t too hard for the first three or four times I did it.  But after that, I found my “normal” pace slowing during my recoveries.  I did this for about 23 minutes and I was whooped at the end.  I have a lot of work to do!

Interestingly, this month’s issue of Women’s Health has an article on running.  While it focuses on running for weight loss, which I’m not necessarily shooting for, it’s still a great article that touches on interval/speed work.  Read it here.  I really enjoy this magazine and look forward to its arrival each month.  I’ve read lots of “health and fitness” magazines in my time and this one seems to really cover a lot of good, important information.  Other magazines have felt too “mainstream” or focused on things I wasn’t interested in.  If you’re looking for a good general health and fitness resource, I recommend it.

On to food!

Breakfast yesterday was a nice change of pace:  plain Fage Greek yogurt with the last of the strawberries, a handful of granola, and a drizzle of honey.  Accompanied by, of course, one of the fig bran muffins I made on Tuesday.  This held me over until lunch.

Lunch was a salad made with arugula, roasted butternut squash, dried cranberries, and toasted pumpkin seeds.  Also, unpictured, a leftover artichoke feta stuffed turkey burger and home made mac and cheese.

I snacked on an ounce of Manchego cheese and crackers before heading to cycle class.

Dinner last night was sooooo goooooooood.  Chipolte Bean Burritos with the Rustic Roasted Salsa I made on Tuesday.  The protein in the beans (both black and red kidney) more than made up for the lack of meat in this dish.  I also added in some avocado just for fun.  🙂  All on whole wheat tortilla shells wrapped with tender loving care.

So, today being Thursday, I had to get down to the serious business of eating all the leftovers that have accumulated in the fridge this week.  Breakfast was a repeat of yesterday with a change in fruit:

Plain Greek yogurt, granola, and honey, but this time with 1/2 an apple instead of strawberries.  I really prefer adding my own fruit and sweetner to plain yogurt as opposed to the fruit-on-the-bottom varieties.  It tends to yield way less sugar and in general just falls more in line with my whole foods eating philosophy.  I can name all the ingredients in this bowl and that makes me happy.  🙂

Also, another fig bran muffin.  I just LOVE THESE.  I will confess to warming it and putting a little pat of real, creamy, unsalted butter on the one this morning.  So delicious.

Lunch was, again, leftovers.  This time, it was more of the ravioli toss I made earlier in the week.  Not worth a second (or third?) picture.

I came home from work and ate what has turned out to be dinner but I didn’t know it at the time:  the last of the leftover mac and cheese.  Finally, it’s gone!  But it ended up being just the amount that if you don’t finish it, a ridiculously small amount is left, and if you do, you’re totally stuffed.  I went for the totally stuffed route prior to heading to CSI and running, so all I’ve had since I got back from the gym is a cold glass of chocolate milk.  Gotta help those muscles recover!  I am just not hungry for a meal.  If anything, I may have a salad before the night is over…

Thanks for reading!  Tomorrow is Friday!  Normally I would be super-excited but, alas, I have another snow day to make up on Saturday, so really tomorrow is my Thursday.  I hope all the rest of you enjoy your last day of the work week.  Do something nice for yourself – I’m sure you’ve earned it!

How do you improve your speed in running?  How do you feel about running on a treadmill?