"Fartlek" is NOT a dirty word!

Time - 5:30am
Distance - 4 miles with 2 miles fartleks
Avg. pace - 10:48

The training schedule I downloaded from Runner's World SmartCoach had me doing actual speedwork (on a track) this week, but given the fact that a) I don't really have access to a track and b) I'm not ready for it, I changed my run to include fartleks instead. For all you non-runner's, fartlek is Swedish for "speed play". Essentially it's picking a point in the distance (eg. the next street, lampost, 5 mailboxes) and running at a faster pace until you reach that point, recovering with a slow jog, and then repeating the process. It's very similar to the speedwork I was prescribed by SmartCoach, except it's much less formal in nature - instead of running 800m at a set pace and then recovering for 400m, I can set my own pace and distance (very nice for a beginner!).

Mile 1 was at my usual 11-something pace. Mile's 2 and 3 were fartlek's, which went pretty well. I think I was pushing my pace a little too hard because, towards the end, I found myself slowing to a walk for the recovery periods instead of a jog. Next week I really have to work on getting my pacing right - I don't want to overdo it, and I want to make sure I'm maximizing my training by not walking. Mile 4 was at a decent clip as well, slightly faster than mile 1. This tends to be the way my runs are going - miles 1 and 3 are the hardest, and mile 4 is a breeze. On these "speed" days, picking up the pace through mile 2 has also been pretty cruisy. I think that as I increase my mileage my runs will gradually become easier throughout, especially in the last half. Everyone says that it takes them at least 2 miles to get in the "zone", and with my runs only being 4 miles long (well, 6 on the weekends) it takes me pretty much my whole run to get to the point where it's easier. So hopefully, as my runs get longer and longer, things will get easier and my pacing in the middle will be better.

Next up is 6 miles on the weekend. I haven't gotten in a long run yet because I've actually had someone to go out with me on weekends, which means I've been too tired to run. (That's a terrible excuse, I know, but I'm working on it!) This weekend I am DEFINITELY getting in my 6-miler. Yep, definitely.