Since going Paleo my family has fallen even more in love with our grill. Paleo and grilling just work well together. The past couple of years I've even been stepping outside my grilling comfort zone more and more. Grilling things I'd never thought to have grilled before and trying new flavor combinations. I have to say I'm pretty thrilled with the results of most of my flavor experiments. In the past I'd never have thought to grill fruit, but it's amazing. Grilling fruit and adding it to traditionally savory dishes? Brilliant. Oh yes, and? New rule: every burger recipe for the rest of forever must contain grilled pineapple. OK, maybe more of a guideline. It's a seriously delicious combination though. This Smoky Grilled Pineapple Burger is always a crowd-pleaser at my house. It's not only Paleo, but Whole30, glutenfree, lower carb, and clean eating friendly. I promise you won't miss the bun! paleo, grilled pineapple burger, smoky
As I mentioned in this post I am shooting for a PR on my next 5k race. So, how do I plan to run a faster 5k? Speedwork! I'm no professional, but this is what I do for speed work:
- Intervals at the track. There is a high school track very close to my house (lucky me). I generally get up uber early and head down there before it's hot. After a short warm up I do either a full lap (400 meters) or a half lap (200 meters) at a hard pace. Then walk to recover, then go again. I generally try to cut my time a few seconds each lap if I can. Racing against myself makes it more fun for me. I'll start with maybe 8 speed intervals and then add an interval each week. I would generally only do this type of workout once a week.
- Hill running. Hills are great for increasing speed. My parents have the perfect hill in their driveway. Once I've warmed up, I run top speed up the hill, then slow jog back down to recover. Like track intervals I'll try to beat my time and race myself each uphill. I may start with 6-8 uphills and add on each workout if I can. This workout I would also only do once a week, or even every other week. For this 5k I will probably alternate it every other week with...
- Treadmill Intervals. On days where I'm simply stuck at the house these work great. These are much less structured for me. I warm up, then maybe run at 6 mph for a minute, then slow jog, then 6.5 mph for a minute, then slow jog. I up my speed each interval and try to hold it a minute, but if I can't then maybe just 30-45 seconds. I usually top out at 8.5 mph or so and then cool down.
That's my plan. These are the workouts I used for my fastest 5k so far and I'm sure they won't fail me this time either! And of course I'm focused on getting the scale down some too. It's amazing to me as I lose weight how running just seems easier. Which makes sense when I think about it. Running around carrying 200+ pounds is just harder than carrying 175 pounds (or less, I'm hoping for less).
Here's a link to a great article from Runner's World on speedwork for anyone.
Do you include speedwork in your running routine? All the time or just when you're really focused on a PR or good race time?
Go Kat!
ReplyDeleteSounds like a good plan. I should use those ideas to get faster at swimming (I'm not a runner) :)
Let us know how you get one!
Those three workouts will definitely have you moving faster for your 5k. I tend to do a track workout once a week with a group so I have the motivation. Unfortunately we don't have hills in the area (Ohio is flat) so I haven't had that opportunity. I like to do a speed workout regardless of my race schedule, hopefully it will keep me continually improving.
ReplyDeleteGood luck with your speed training. You're going to do awesome on your 5k!
This post is just what I needed! I am currently doing a couch to 5K program and I am so slow! But, I have come such a long way--100 pounds down and I'm running! Never thought I would see the day. I am training for my first 5K in October. Do you listen to music while you run, and if so, do you have favorite playlists that help you keep up your speed?
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