Lots of running

I've gotten in lots of running over the last 24 hours or so.

I actually didn't run Thursday morning as I had planned, just kind of got overwhelmed with errands and stuff. But I went to my game about 20 minutes before I needed and ran a mile on the nice all-weather track that encircles the soccer/football field. I probably ran it in about 8:30, maybe a little slower, not that I was trying for speed or anything. I just wanted to get warmed up, and it worked out great. I felt so rejuvenated during the game, I pushed my legs, they responded and my heart was able to keep up just fine. Usually when I ref a JV game (which means I'm alone) I average about a 150 heart rate but yesterday I was closer to 160, and that's a good thing.

Today I went to the gym and ran intervals. I challenged myself though. I had to up the ante. Usually I run them at a 6.0 and 7.5, that is one minute at the low end and one minute at the high end and alternate between the two with some walking mixed in. Today I moved it up to 6.2 and 7.7. I don't know, maybe I should be higher than that, maybe I should be at a 6.5 and 8.0 but I suppose that I'll be there soon enough. When I started I was at a 5.5 and 7.0 and that was challenging.

At first, the 7.7 was kind of brisk, almost too brisk. But it made me realize why I like intervals so much. When I slowed down to a 6.2, it seemed slow. I figure if I get enough of these intervals in, over time my slow pace outdoors will still be at a decent clip. The high pace after a while didn't seem so fast and that's also good. When I run outdoors then I'll be able to run faster for longer periods of time. That's actually what the tempo run will be for, to endure harder paces for an extended period of time, so for instance I can run four miles but the middle two I'll run at a much more strenuous pace... and no, that doesn't sound like fun.

I adjusted my iPod accordingly too. I started off with the Raconteurs but that was a little too slow for my pace once I got going so after the first 12-minute stretch I switched to Flogging Molly, which was perfect. But towards the end of my run I had a 2-minute sprint at 9.0 so I brought out the heavy artillery and put on Metallica's Dyers End. That worked magnificently as I tore right through that sprint. It felt good. I was exhausted and I don't know how much more I could have ran, but that's good because that's how I like to finish off interval runs.

I'm fine now as I type. Of course, I need to be. I have a game here in a few hours. I don't foresee a mile warmup run today but my legs will probably still feel refreshed when I get to the field.