January 14, 2012

Illusive Goal 4 Minute Km (6:44 min mile)


Like Wile E. CoyoteI have my prey.  My illusive goal is an under 40 minute 10 k.  This requires a sub 4 minute km (6:44 minutes per mile).  Some are able to do it better quicker, easier than others.  Yesterday, I went on a 10 k and attempted a sub 4 minute km.  I DID IT!  Second km in, I booted it.  Exactly 4:00 minute km on my Garmin.  Then, I not only bonked, but my time was slower than my last run at almost 47:00!  Not good.
Now I am much like Wile E Coyote, I am a fool in my own genius way.  I did not eat breakfast for example.  I also HATE speed training, which is a part of the task I must face.  Can I do it for April when our local 10 k race comes to the Wine Capital of Canada?
Could it be that like my father before me, these buttocks have disappeared thus giving me little meat to charge forward in?  Do I need a boost of some sort, like a rocket or Marty McFly's futuristic shoes?  Or do I need to do intervals, hill repeats and fartleks, the BAIN of my existance, without getting injured...
Or will I hear that sound that makes the coyote cringe with self loathing, the sound my brain makes when my friend Jeremy Cook passes me just as we enter the last stretch of the race, hand out grasping for the glory.... MEEP.  MEEP.  How I hate that bird and love him with the same breath.  MEEP MEEP indeed.
Stay tuned...

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey bro. I love your Meep Meep.. I can totally see you have the expression on your face as Jer runs by. You should throw him off by having a picture of Wile E Coyote somewhere and pull it out last minute. Like a print out of his face. I think that would suprise and stun Jer just to get that few secs you need to sprint to your goal. For everyone one out there this is my real brother and I am so very proud of him. He is my hero.

Chad said...

Awww.... I was thinking more of mace. Or perhaps a large mallet. Jer does this very "road runner" type thing with his tongue too when he speaks.

Jer said...

HEY!!!

Chad said...

Oh, its you. This is awkward.
(Meep Meep)

Nazzer said...

If you don't like speed training perhaps do hill workouts as they will also help you with your ability to run faster.

Chad said...

Totally Nazzer. I live on a hill too so that is convenient! I will be biting the bullet for speed training. The ACME bullet. ;)

Kenley said...

Have you done any 400 or 800m speed training intervals? That or hill training at goal speed will work maybe? Im not an expert on speed training, just trying to get my butt moving. I believe the night before you run, you should round up the bird and pluck out its feathers and cook it, that way meep meep won't be around on race day to bug you with any acme surprises. Take care man, and look forward to hearing about your sub 40 10k. Please do let us know if you happen to do any speed training and what works for you.

Chad said...

hahha thanks Kenley, I will be shucking some pounds, if I can, do hill repeats and intervals in the next 4 months. Ill keep people posted.

Chad said...

Just an update: I am still far away from this goal in June. a 4:30 km is fast for me at this point, I have gotten down to a 4 minute km, but this is sprinting to me and only lasts for 1 km before I have to pull back and ruin my overall time.

davidrmartin said...

You are not alone! I say to myself, if ~60 year old guys can run 1:26:51 half marathons (fastest M55-59 in Toronto 2012 Scotia Half) meaning 4:08 per km consistently, I should be able to do at least a couple at 4min. But my lungs catch fire after 700m at 15km/h and I have to crawl for a bit. I have no idea if this will help but on every running day of the next week I am going to try to go farther at "full speed". 1km warm up then the next at 15 km/h until it drops below that. Until I can do 5km at 4 min each, I am going to call myself a jogger not a runner.

Unknown said...

Just came across this, my goal is slightly less, i want to be able to do a 5 k at 4 min/km. i, like you can do a 4 min km for the first but then slowly drop off, 4, then 4.5 then 5 then 5.5 lol. ive only bee running for a year or so and hope only ourtside for 5 months or so. been running hills as i live on the side of one. Just checking to see if you have gotten any closer to your goal and what you have been finding that works for you.

Chad said...

Hey Scott! Thanks for dropping by my blog! No I have not made any further improvements to my 4 minute goal. In fact I have been trying lately to just maintain in some way the mileage as my life has gotten busier. I know I have tried hills but not for long as I hate them. Speed depends on working on bursts of acceleration, resistance and muscle development in the legs (squats, lunges etc) I basically have no butt, an inheritance of my father`s! Thanks dad.

Chad said...

@ davidrmartin: you my friend are a runner! Do not call yourself a jogger based on times and prs. If you need to run do it regularly and have goals, then you are a runner. THere will always be someone behind you and someone ahead of you.

Unknown said...

6:26 min/mile you mean. NOT 6:46!!