Speedwork Four Months Postpartum

Yesterday morning I did speed work for the first time in 6 1/2 months. I did a few "speed workouts" through pregnancy, which consisted of meeting up with my running club at our local track and running a "little faster" than my easy-pregnant pace. I haven't done serious speed work since the September 2011 when I was training for my fall marathon. Needless to say, it has been a while and I felt a little "blind" going into the workout because I'm unsure of what a "pushing it" pace is. I decided the night before that my workout would be a series of 800m (1/2 mile) repeats with 400m (1/4 mile) recovery jog between each hard effort.  Normally 800m repeats are done at slightly above 5K pace, but I have no idea what my 5k pace is: the last time I ran a non-pregnant 5K was in August of 2011 and my most recent 5K was at 8 months pregnant and I know for a fact I'm faster than that pace.

I went into the workout committed to be conservative. Basing my pace of my last 5K run would be disastrous. I knew there was no way I would could run four strong, negative split repeats at my old 5K pace. I would crash and burn. I decided to base my first 800m by off of my average comfortable pace outside (8:40min/mile), I subtracted a minute and arrived at 7:40min/mile (stellar math skills there). I knew that if it felt easy I could easily ramp up the difficulty on subsequent repeats, I just wanted to see how my body responded: both my legs and pelvic floor. Here is how the workout went:

Warmup: 400m @ 10 min/mi

Repeat 1: 800m @ 7:47 min/mi This felt relatively "easy." As I reached the half way mark I knew that I wasn't going to be tired at the end of this repeat. It was obviously harder than running a 10 minute mile but not hard enough to push my body into that zone where you start lowering your lactate threshold.  I knew in the next repeat I could push faster.

Recovery: 400m @ 10 min/mi

Repeat 2: 800m @ 7:30 min/mi This repeat felt a little harder but as I finished and went into the recovery jog I knew I wasn't pushing it. I wasn't very winded and knew I could go faster.

Recovery: 400m @ 10 min/mi

Repeat 3: 800m @ 7:24 min/mi At the half way point of this interval I felt like I was starting to work for it. I had to focus my effort, I did so by visualizing a track and me on the track. I'd glance at the distance on the treadmill and imagine where I'd be on the track: the curve, the straightaway passing the bleachers. It was helpful. I finished this repeat sweating and breathing hard. This is due in part to the fact that it was my third repeat and that I had increased the speed. I felt like this was my "pushing it" pace.

Recovery: 400m @ 10 min/mi

Repeat 4: 800m @7:24 min/mi (dropping to 7:00 min/mi for the last .10 of a mile.) Just a tenth of a mile into this repeat I knew I was going to have to work for it. It felt hard. I felt like I had to push myself to stay focused and not hop of the treadmill. I kept visualizing the track and in the last "straightaway" dropped the pace down to 7:00 min/mile. I finished breathing hard, feeling spent.

Recovery: 400m @ 10 min/mi

At the end of the workout I felt really confident, not necessarily in the speeds but in my ability to start conservatively and finish strong. I am a much wiser and more thoughtful runner than I was at the beginning of 2011 when I'd just go all-out only to crash and burn. I've learned to pace myself, which I think will be to my benefit down the road. I was proud of the fact that I was able to feel my way to a pace that was challenging and finish a workout on a strong positive note. I was also really pleased with how my pelvic floor held up to the pounding. The first time I attempted speedwork after the birth of my first child was when I first experienced "leaking." To make it through this workout without any leaking is a great sign that my pelvic floor is a heck of a lot stronger than it was back then.

The speed I want will come. I know it will. This is just the start. A very smart start.

Do you do speed work? Do you prefer the track, the road or the treadmill?

Have you ever had to "feel" your way back into running after an injury or a long time off? How did you get yourself back into shape?

--Sarah