Mutha f-ing hills

Oh hell that was hard. So with backing off on the frequency of runs in the interest of continuing to run injury free... I've starting following, loosely, a training plan.

Basically on Tuesdays and Thursdays I do speed and tempo runs or a hill run. Saturdays or Sundays I do a long easy run. Cool right?

So I started sort of last week. This week I started the bump up. Tuesday's speed work made me ill. My warm up and recovery pace was 6.2 mph, the speed pace 7.2 for .5 miles, recovery .5 miles.

Last week I made 4 sets before doing a 1 mile cool down at 5.5. This week the added speed was hard enough that I made it 3 sets, did a mile cool down and a mile walk. Basically it kicked my ass.

My plan for next week is to do the same pace again, but replace that walk with one more set. Same miles, much faster.

Today's plan was to tackle this monster hill. It's not long, just .13 miles but with a 20% grade. I don't actually like even walking down it. So I ran the 1.5 ish miles down to the base of the hill. There is the steep side and the long gradual side a little less than .5 miles long with a 13% grade.

Well it kicked my ass. I did one loop up the gradual side and ran back down and around to the base of the steep side. I ran up the steep side and made it 3/4 of the way up. I thought my lungs would explode. It was really the first time in ages where my lungs have hurt from running. I walked the last 20 feet and ran down the gradual side, heading back for another try.

The third lap and second attempt at the big hill was of course worse. I made it half way up before I thought I might loose it, then walked the 100 or so feet to the top. Geez Louise that is some hard shit.

And of course the run home was all up hill. It was hard. It was really hard. But I finished strong, and even an hour later, my lungs are still feeling kind ill. Next time my goal is to finish one lap on the killer completely. At least 3/4 of the second lap and add one more gradual lap. Yeah me!

Good:
Ran 6.35 miles