There isn't a lot of hill training (although I'm free to sub out some speed interval training for hills later in the program), but there is some. And the other day I ran the second hill interval workout. As usual, I was on a treadmill and I had to simulate running like I was outside like a normal person.
I had to do 7 X 400M hills, and I ramped up the incline from 3% to 4, 5, 6 and then back down to 5, 4 and 3 to accomplish it. It was a relatively short (about 4.5 miles with warm up and cool down) but intense workout, and I didn't vary the speed too too much between hill and rest intervals (there was a 400M rest interval for every 400M hill interval). I did the hills at 7.0 MPH (~8:34 pace) and did the rest intervals at 6.7 MPH (~8:57 pace) an no incline.
Ever have one of those days where you felt like you were just going up and down hills?
It can be said that I've never sweated so much so fast as I have running a 6% grade incline for two minutes on that treadmill that day. Good lord. The poor person next to me kept sneaking a peak, but I'm not sure if she was amazed by the impressive incline or horrified by my ability to drown a small cat in sweat.
Anyway, I felt really good after the run.
And then yesterday I did a nice easy 3 miles on a treadmill while breaking in a new pair of shoes. I was a little sore so I took it easy, starting at 7.0 MPH and slowly working my way up to 7.5 MPH by the end of the run. My soreness got worked out and I felt pretty great the entire time. I think I can credit my easier running at faster paces not only on the fact that I'm running 5-6 days a week rather than 3, but because I've dropped about 15 lbs. over the past 5 weeks or so. The holiday weight gain is pretty much gone and now I'm losing some more to get myself about as fast as I can by race day.
And I want to look good in a race picture for once, but I think it'll take more than better fitting clothes for that to happen...
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