1/28/11 (Friday) Run

Ran an easy 6 miles today in 45:56.

In case any one wonders if that really is an easy run, I do run most of it at a slower pace.  However, I never run at the same pace for the whole time.  Your body is constantly trying to achieve homeostasis.  While there are many things that are associated with homeostasis and exercise within your body, I am referring to your body will achieve homeostasis if you continue to do the same old workout.  It takes 2-3 weeks for your body to acclimate to a workout.  If you do not change your workout after that point, the benefits you see will be less.  Have you ever known people who say, "I work out every day but I have stopped losing weight."  Providing that they have not increased their calorie consumption, the culprit is most likely your body has achieved homeostasis.  Yes, you now have to do more to burn the same amount of calories.  But don't let the word "more" necessarily scare you.  Speaking of running, you can do more in at least one of two ways.  First, you can run the same mileage as you always have, but you most likely need to toss in speed work and tempo runs.  Second, you can increase your mileage.  It does not have to be drastic and remember to never increase it by more than 10% a week.  What do I do?  Depends on what my goal is, but on a regular basis (meaning when I am not training for anything specifically) I will run the same mileage but add speed.  Today, after warming up, I was running at a constant 7.5 mph or 8:00 min mile pace.  However, the last tenth mile of each mile I decided to up it to 8.3 mph.  Then after 2 miles I increased the last half mile of each mile by one-tenth mph.  Then after the third mile I put the treadmill on a 1% incline.  Then the last mile, whether I am training or not, I almost always increase the speed by a tenth mph for each quarter mile and run the last 100 meters somewhere between 10.0 and 12.0 mph.  Always finish strong and it will help you finish strong in a race. And always keep the body guessing without stressing it to the point of injury.  So I ran 6 miles in what many would consider a good time, yet I did not stress my body out for the whole six miles and thus my recovery is easier.