First speed work out

I've never done a full on speed workout. Only a little sprinting towards the end of my runs... Last season, I just wanted to finish the 13.1 miles! So I skipped the speed work.

Now, let me tell you. I looked at the schedule for a SWO, and almost cried. It was SOOOOOOOO confusing! I channeled in to my friends on the face book forum, to get some insight. I then received a call from one of the more elite runners. He attempted to explain it to me, and then just told me more about yasso's which are 10 times easier to figure out! So he pretty much set me up to run (I'll tell you in miles, instead of meters) like something like this:

5 minute warm up
1/2 mile- 8:30 pace
1/4 miles-walk
Repeat 3 times, and end with 5 minute cool down.

It is suppose to be harder than a tempo run, but easier than just sprinting full out.Since it was about 4.4:15 minutes.

I did pretty well, my splits (1/2 mile runs) were faster each time. I will say that I was running low on fuel, by the last interval! So, I'm not sure what the norm is, but I think I will be looking in to some acceleration help next time ( like gu, or accel gel ) It's a short duration, but high intensity! I like it! Even though I was re-thinking what I'd eaten earlier that day.

I logged about 3.2 miles before my phone died, and did almost another mile with my friend Melissa [Who is training for her first 10k] at an easier pace. Normally I would have done a 5 minute cool down, and pretty much did a 10 minute cool down.

There ya have it! My first expierence with speed work. 
Most speed work is done on a track. My group meets at the track each Tuesday night, so I' will try and make the group runs every other week or so, if nothing else to LEARN how to do it!!!! But I will try and just do it on my own on the nights I can't. Now, usually I am the first to go gung-ho about group training! In this case, I feel like I really could do this on my own, b/c let's be real, no one is talking! Ha!

I will keep the update going on the "effects" of speed work out. And do my best to explain it, as it I learn this complicated-ness.
Oh, and it was about 20 degrees with a wind chill of something in the single digits! Everything was warm except my mouth- Numb. These bad boys will get your blood pumping!

Happy Running!!!!