I Accidentally Ran Fast

[Adam]

Okay, this happened yesterday and I don't know what's up. I bought a pair of spikes for track workouts because I have not seriously trained on a track since leaving high school, about 3 years ago. I ran 5 easy miles in the morning, strangely struggling with a 7:30 pace. Maybe it is because I was up an hour earlier or something I ate...I dunno. Not the point. After work, I went to the track and said I'd do 2 easy miles in the spikes just to make sure they're comfortable and wouldn't harm my feet if I ran in them.

This is where things start getting strange. I felt as though I was running very easy. Not putting forth much effort at all, you see. So, when my Garmin beeped, saying I had done a mile, I was surprised to see it had been 6:01. Still not putting forth much energy the 2 mile time ended up being 11:48. I know that may not be quick for anyone in here, but I have not ran that short a distance since my last track meet in high school and the time for that, running my ass off, was 11:42 and a PR.

My question is: How the hell did I run so fast not attempting to do so? I don't run 6 minute paces often. Honestly, my 5k PR is 19:01 and I felt as though I could have run another sub-6 yesterday easily to break that, but decided against it. Was it the spikes? No, because I ran in my Mizunos today after work and did a 12min 2 mile on the track with the same amount of effort. Was it the track? Not slowing at intersections and no hills. Or was it the fact that I worked out in the morning? My coach always encouraged 2 a days, but I rarely did so. Maybe it's the mileage increase. I have recently started 40+ mile weeks as opposed to mile 30-35 normal weeks. The thing is I know I haven't done any speed work and have never been able to run 6 that easily, so I think it's running in the morning and then goin back in the afternoon or the increased mileage has something to do with it.

It's so weird. Good, but weird. Any ideas?

[Nicholas]

about a year ago i got some stange advice from a friend. he had just got done with his 2nd marathon and i was training for my 2nd. he said "trust me, run 2 or 3 miles the afternoon or the night before the marathon. just a real slow and steady couple of miles." i tried it before my 2nd marathon and i felt that it helped my overall performace. ive only ran 2 marathons so i guess i cant really swear by it or anything....


my dad who ran boston twice vastly disagrees with this strategy as well as running 2 a days....

in fact, the only person i can think of that says they run distance twice a day on a consistant basis is that heather girl that sometimes posts on here. maybe she can shed some light on the situation...

[Andrew Chandler]

I'm an extremely slow runner in regards to those times. I'm one of the late bloomers. I think a lot of it has to do with
1) you warmed up your body in those first few 7:30 miles even if you wanted to run it.
2) you released your glycogen storages during that time and things were really circulating.
3) I've seen this happen when I just didn't care. I just went out and ran and was like #&%*#( this. And ran PR's when I didn't expect it to happen. (that occured in Illinois. I ran a PR on the half marathon with a pulled groin because I was thinking "I don't care.").

I mean, how many times have we seen people at a meet run like they don't care and then look like "wtf???" after they finish?

[Heather!]

oh wow people are referring to me as "that heather girl". should i be offended?

anyway! i'm all for two-a-days. since i started doing them my general just-out-for-a-run pace has gotten faster and easier... and that's without speedwork. a lot of runner's swear by two-a-days and, while i've only been doing them for about a year and consistantly (4 or 5 days a week) for about 3 or 4 months, i'm gonna go ahead and say i swear by them too. i mean, there are definitely days when it's tougher and the second run kinda sucks, but overall? i think they're awesome.

(and i pretty much always run the day before a race... not very far or hard, but just something to keep my legs in motion and prevent them from feeling sluggish. as for race day? ummmm i don't usually have my shit together enough to get there with enough time to warm up. but the times that i have done a warm-up before a race it went real well)

and i agree with what andrew... i don't really know about the scientific mumbo jumbo behind it all, but it totally makes sense that the first one would get you warmed up for the next one (both metally and physically).

or. maybe you're just more awesome than you originally thought :)

[Adam]

Thanks for the replies guys and I think I'm gonna start doing 2 a days at least twice a week. I usually do a 3 mile walk in the evenings after dinner just to stay in motion for the sake of not sitting around, but the more I think about it the cooler it would be to do 2 a days a few days a week, if not every day. All that mileage and you get faster even if you don't do speedwork, I think. Yay!

[Andrew Chandler]

You know... I wish i could "accidently" pull down sub 7's. I do know that there are just some days that feel better than others. I mean, I ran a half marathon and PRed by 6 minutes. (I'm in the lower 8 minute pace and I ran something like 7:47's). And then 3 weeks later I ran a 5k and barely broke 23:30. So yeah, there are just some days that are better than others.

I personally thing you answered your own question though, "How the hell did I run so fast when I didn't intend to do so?" I think its a lie. Anyone who "doesn't want to run fast or intend to." I personally think that's right up there with "I don't care about my time, I just wanna finish." My best ever time was when I just was out enjoying myself.

In fact, Adam, if you look at Heather's pics (she's my new hero btw), she's smiling in all those pictures. And I don't think its the margin she was running with. Now, I'm not suggesting that you need to go out and smile... who wants that? But its enjoyable.

I don't go into every morning practice session expecting to go "balls out". For me... I tend to do my "conditioning run" in the mornings. Just keep my heartrate at where it needs to be for about 40-50 minutes. No matter what my pace is, I don't care. Honestly, in the morning, I'm tight and groggy. If I have a super duper practice in the mornings. I am really puzzled.

My evenings, I throw crap in there like speedwork, track and intervals. I do that because in the mornings I still have to go to work and nothing like going to work when you're a zombie cuz you pushed it. I also am one of those people who overthinks EVERYTHING. So a hard workout in the evening is the cure for overthinking.

Heather. "That heather girl.".... hmmm... I think you should be complimented. I mean, here's how it works *plays the melodramatic violin music* You may never win a Nobel prize, you may never find a cure for cancer, you may never climb everest or cure world hunger... but in this room. The euphanism of "that heather girl" is what endears you to us. Here's to you *toasts with a beer*.

Hehehehehehehe.

[Adam]

http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-267--13199-0,00.html

Related article I randomly just saw while browsing. I saw "Double Duty" as the title and instantly knew it was talking to me. Wow. Really coincidental, huh? I just wanna know that 2 a day isn't bad. There is such a thing as working out too much. And this is telling me I shouldn't worry as long as I ease into it.

[cody daneille]

this last year training for fargo i did 2 a days for a long long time. i swear by them. it does suck pretty bad if youre not feeling the 2nd run but if you keep in mind "im not done yet" type thought its definately worth it when the results are logging big time miles and hittin sub 6'ers... its hard to see those results and feel that "high" and not push yourself overboard. just take it as it comes and push when you think you have it in you. many elites run 2x/day. its just dedicating yourself to your love of running. keep us updated im curious to see how your training looks in 3 to 4 weeks! run hard :)