Hitting Re-set on a Workout and Endorphin Warrior Bracelet Winner

I'm happy to announce the winner of my Endorphin Warrior Training Bracelet Giveaway:

Congratulations Kelly! Please contact me via email before Wednesday to claim your Endorphin Warrior Bracelet!

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Last Wednesday I hopped on the treadmill at 6am with the intention of running 4x800 repeats. I did my warm up and when the screen hit the one mile mark I ramped up the speed to 7:00 min/mi (my current splits for 800m or 1/2 mile should be 3:28-3:36). I ran about a tenth of a mile and jumped off the treadmill. I was dragging: seven min/mi pace felt incredibly difficult. I knew that I could run this workout and run it well, but my body was saying otherwise. I stood there for a second, my legs straddling the still-spinning treadmill belt, trying to decide if I was going to push through or call it quits. If I pushed through it was going to be agonizing, each repeat would be a mental and physical effort. This was my first early AM run in two weeks and it happened to be a speed workout. Not exactly a recipe for a success. If I waited, I thought, I would be more awake, the run wouldn't be such a mental battle and I would be able to run the workout like I knew I could. Excuses! Once voice said. Smart! Another voice said.

I went with the voice that said, "smart" and bagged the workout. I would attempt it later at nap time. I was rolling the dice a little there, but was prepared to make it happen even if the kids didn't nap. Of course I spent the rest of the day in my running clothes: what's the point of getting dressed and showering when you're going to run later?

Nap time rolled around and....my husband came home! Sometimes I am so grateful he is self-employed. Other times, like in matters related to health insurance and consistent income, it's not so convenient. But on this particular day it was incredibly convenient. I got to run outside in SHORTS and a T-SHIRT. Yep. Spring is coming. Even if there still is snow on the ground I'm going to will spring into existence by wearing shorts on all my runs. Not really. But it's a nice thought.

I started the workout with mile warm up and when that mile split "bliped" on my Garmin I was off. I knew I was going to nail my paces. I could feel it. The first 800 felt a little rusty but I worked the kinks out and at 1/2 mile looked down to see 3:30. I jogged 1/4 mile (400m) recovery and then was off again. Repeat number two felt good, I was running straight into the wind. I'm not sure why I thought doing speedwork on the ridge was a good idea. But I decided I wasn't going to complain. Embrace what makes you stronger. The split time: 3:27. The third split felt even better. Don't misunderstand it was work, but satisfying work. 3:28. By the fourth interval I was beginning to tire, but when you know it's the last one you can push yourself just a little bit more. 3:27.

I finished with mile cool down run home feeling great. I ran hard but controlled. I hit my paces. A workout executed as planned builds confidence. I felt confident after I finished. Had I toughed it out in the morning on the treadmill I may have built confidence by the sheer fact I was forcing myself to do something I didn't want to. But I don't necessarily want to tough it out simply to prove that I'm tough. What I want to do is run smart, to build confidence in execution. I think it was wise to hit re-set on the workout and attempt it later. I was able to execute it much better than if I had toughed it out on the treadmill.

How do you know when to stop a workout and when to push through? Have you ever hit re-set on a workout before and attempted it later? What was the result?

--Sarah

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