Today I learned there is a fine line between pushing yourself as hard as you can, and pushing too hard.
Today I wanted to try pyramids: Do a warm-up run for 5 minutes, then run a good pace while increasing the incline by 2% every few minutes, then after 6% you go down again. Finish with an easy run.
There's two ways to do it. Run each incline for 5 minutes at a time, or two minutes. I wanted to push myself, I also wanted a 40 minute workout, and that means the five minute pyramid. I knew it would be hard, but that's what I wanted.
I ran 4.6mph for 5 minutes, then put it up to 5mph and 2% incline. It was tiring but I did it fine. Then I increased to 4%. This was harder. That's when I really wanted to decrease my speed. It took a LOT of willpower to not hit that minus button. Every second that went by I talked myself out of it. Finally five minutes finished and I put it to 6%.
There was no way I was going to make it. I knew that if I tried to push myself the entire five minutes I would end up quitting and not finishing it, and that meant only 15 minutes running - not acceptable.
So I ran it for maybe about 1-1/2 minutes, then hit those minus buttons as fast as I could. Down to a 0 incline and speed down to 3.5. I walked the rest of the five minutes (at 3.5) and caught my breath.
At this point sweat was POURING off me. I have never ever ever had that much sweat pour down my body. My hair was soaked to my head, my eyelashes were full of beads of sweat, and I could see the sweat flinging off my body. I can't put into words how much sweat was pouring off me. My *ears* were full of it.
And I was smiling.
But when that five minutes was up, I decided it wasn't too late to try the 2 minute pyramid. A 2 minute pyramid was better than one half a pyramid and I would feel like I wasted my time. So I upped the speed to 4.6 and 2% and ran nicely for 2 minutes, upped it to 4% and 4.8, and it was hard but I knew I could finish. Upped it to 6% and 5.0, talked myself into finishing the 2 minutes, then finally I was allowed to lower the incline again to 4.8. 2 minutes later it went down to 2%, then finally 0 incline and I upped the speed to 5mph again. Decided I was going to get my final run working as hard as I could (sweat was STILL pouring off me) so every few minutes I upped it a bit more. I finished out at 5.5mph, then had the 2 minute warm-down. 40 minutes total so I did get my workout.
I used the weights for 30 minutes, mostly upper body but a bit of butt and hip muscles too.
Tomorrow I'm only supposed to run for 2 miles. Saturday is an off day which means I can use weights or other machines all I want. I think I'll do a complete set of weight machines and maybe some ellyptical or bike riding.
But since tomorrow I only need 2 miles I think I may try to run as fast as I can. I mean, 2 miles is pretty much nothing now, I can use this for speed. I'll skip the gym and just do it at home.
Sunday I'm supposed to run for 4 miles.
No Problem.