Fartleks.

I had a hard time getting up this morning to do fartleks. Blame it on the really good DVD I watched last night. It was past 1 a.m. before I had the lights out. It made waking up this morning not too pretty.
There weren't time for random thoughts on the treadmill today (actually, on fartlek days). Time just goes really fast when I am trying to shake my legs and keep up with the treadmill, when I have to figure out when I started the fast/slow interval, remember the pacing for each interval and planning in  my mind what I have to do when I get home to get ready and make it to work on time. It is a rush-rush-rush morning, but a good one, and I won't have it any other way. It did occur to me, on that random few seconds, that I'm lucky and thankful that I actually have a "fartlek friend" who keeps me accountable. Thanks Aneta the Rambunctious Runner.

Completed: 3 miles.

Intervals: 0.5 mile

Pace: 12:00, 10:43, 12:00, 10:10, 12:00, 10:00.

May Mileage: 53 miles

How was your workout session today? Are you as lucky as I am to have a fartlek friend? Do you have a running buddy or a virtual one? Do share! Have a happy Wednesday!

Three Old Miles in One New Skirt

I wore my new running skirt today on my 3-miler. I was excited. I feel like a girl wearing that skirt.
Who cares what other people may think about my running skirt. Who cares if they think "that Chinese girl is crazy running in a skirt!"
Since it is still the same 3 miles down the same road I always run, I am going to briefly talk about this skirt. I am going to try to talk a little more in-dept later this week when I get the chance to snap a few pictures.
Basically, I like the way it looks and I feel like a girly-girl running in it. The shorts inside rode up a little but the skirt part did covered the what-could-have-been ugly picture of shorts riding up on me.  However, I finally experience chafing wearing this skirt and I didn't even run far. Ouch.
Anyway, 3 miles down for this week. 36 miles done for the month and 14 more to go.
All right, I am off to bed because I have an early morning virtual fartlek date with Aneta.

Fartlek. Fartlek. Pfffff.

It has been a crazy week and a kinda blah week thus far in terms of running. I tried to go to bed early every night, but the insane amount of paperwork makes it a challenge to shut my eyes before 1 a.m.  I feel lethargic. Before my day is over, I feel like I can just sleep and fade into never never land for a long long time and have no idea where time has went. I feel like I can be Sleeping Beauty (maybe Sleeping Not-So-Beauty).
I did a fartlek session on the treadmill today. I am still new to the fartlek stuff - I mean, see, I don't even know what or how to describe it. Anyway, I ran really really fast and then, slowed down a little. I did 2 miles, with the slow being a 10:30 min/mile pace and the fast being a high 7:00 min/mile pace at 0.25mile intervals.  I felt like Energizer hamster on the rolling, spinning wheel thing. I probably haven't moved my legs that fast ever and at a certain point in time, was kinda happy I was doing that.
It wasn't easy. I was sweaty. I was panting. I was done.
I was going for 3 miles but I just ran out of steam. 
So here are a few fartlek questions for you - the more experience runners. Please enlighten me.
1. When doing fartleks, do you try to have negative splits too? Or do you stick to a certain fast pace and a certain slower pace throughout the entire session?
2. What is the most efficient, effective way to get the MOSTEST out of any fartlek training? (in terms of mileage, time, pace).

Thanks, in advance. Have a good Friday eve. 

Popping the Fartlek Cherry

Yes! I completed my first fartlek E.V.E.R! And let me tell you, it was awesome blossom!  I refrained from using "fartlek" on my Facebook status update. I fear. I fear. I fear.
Last week's runs weren't exactly stellar nor inspiring. I usually get inspired after my runs - partly because I surprise myself either with a distance or a pace that was better than what I had expected. Last week was just "blah" - as bland as tepid water running from the faucet. Maybe I am getting a little "bored" with the runs, so I decided to shake things up a little this week and do something that will make me miss running.
Nah ... I am not taking off from running this week. I am just going to do some shorter runs during the week and maybe a faster pace 5 miles or so during the weekend.  I think that will make me want to jump back to doing longer, farther distance after laying low for a week.

So, today, I hopped on the 'mill and took it for a spin. My first fartlek ever! I had the 'mill set to INTERVAL training, and began with caution. Then, I realized it was freaking slow. So I upped the pace. I finally decided to set it on sprints at 9:05/mile pace and recovery runs at 12:00/mile pace. The 12:00/mile pace is a no brainer because that's the pace I feel comfortable and I know I can catch my breath. The 9:05/mile pace was just a pace where I know I will have some difficulty conversing with an actual human being. That's the pace where I have to just breathe in and out and keep my legs going.

It worked! All in all, I completed 3.02 miles in 31:53 minutes. I am stoked.

I will be away for a conference this week and I have packed my running shoes, socks, outfits in my suitcase. I am hoping I will get 2 runs in at the fitness center at the hotel this week - nothing too much, just another fartlek of 3 miles or so. We'll see. I will be with a bunch of colleagues and rooming with two. I don't exactly know how early they wake up or late they go to bed. So, I am going to test the water out. :) Wish me luck!

See, I am inspired after this run and I love this feeling.

Question: How do you juggle running/training when you are not on your "home turf" ????