7 minute half-mile runs, April 20, using long & quick paces style

Monday April 20 (afternoon workout):

For the 3rd time since returning to long-distance running in Nov 08, for the 3rd workout in a row, I ran half-miles, taking approx 5 minute breaks between half-miles.

I left the footwear as it was during the previous runs of April 18, March 31, 29, 26, 25, & 24. The last footwear advice I gave to myself was after the March 25 run (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/74-minute-5-mile-run-march-25-using.html ).

Results foot-comfort wise:

Left foot/leg: pain in sole of foot towards end of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th half-miles.

Right foot/leg: pain in sole of foot towards end of 2nd, 3rd, 4th, & 5th half-miles.

Monday April 20:

I ran the round the block course again (1st 3rd 5th miles run, 2nd 4th 6th miles walked). I stopped for approx five minutes every half-mile. I used style C/F, long & quick paces.

Time after 5th mile: 66:38 (six 1/2 mile runs and 4 1/2 mile walks).

The break times were as follows: time at end of 1/2 mile run or walked, rounded up to next minute (example 11:54:21 rounded up to 11:55:00) plus five minutes = resume running time (in example run would be resumed at 12:00:00). Thus breaks were always between 5 and 6 minutes, on average 5.5 minutes. 9 breaks were taken, one after each half-mile.

For the first 5 miles, I used the following chant (chanted in my mind not with my mouth/tongue):

'Long are our strides as we streamline the sky
Many are our steps per unit of time
The greatness of our speed is famed in rhyme

Going...just half a mile
in that long paced quick paced style

Lord of Roads of Magnificence am I
Lord of Roads of Painlessness am I'

The three stanzas were chanted in various orders.

Prior to this run I stretched my legs, had a little c-boost drink, a tablespoon of cod liver oil, couple pieces toast, coffee, little blueberry juice.

Times recorded using long & quick paced style (styles C/F): today April 20 for half-miles, and previous time such style used (miles), March 29 (current personal record set for breaks every mile):

1st, run: 6:52 + 6:48=13:40, 13:58,
2nd, walked: 6:30+6:24=12:54, 13:03,
3rd, run: 6:51+6:52=13:43, 13:57,
4th, walked: 6:19+6:14=12:33, 12:57,
5th, run: 6:54+6:54=13:48, 14:00,

To repeat, my goal in pausing after every half-mile on the recent runs, has been to shake off the slow style of running which I suspected had become habitual.

Looking at the times April 20 today, my speed was faster than it was the previous time using this style when I took the breaks every mile instead of every half-mile; but the speed improvement was not what one would expect changing from miles to half-miles, this probably due to the taking a break from end of March to April 18.

The footwear was the same as the previous run

'Twas a day-time run, cloudy.

The sweatshirt, long-sleeved collar-less sportshirt made of t-shirt-type material, t-shirt, sleeveless t-shirt, visibility-vest, shorts, headband & hat were too warm after three half-miles, so I removed the sweatshirt.This felt right for the surprisingly chilly, 45 degree wind avg 3 mph with gusts at avg 9 mph conditions (http://www.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/wxStationGraphAll?day=20&year=2009&month=4&ID=KMAWESTO6&type=3&width=500&showsolarradiation=1&showtemp=1&showpressure=1&showwind=1&showwinddir=1&showrain=1 ). 5th mile ended at 5:45 PM.

Felt too tired after run for clever comments in blog report re run.

Advice to myself for the next run

footwear-wise: No new advice; latest advice: http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/74-minute-5-mile-run-march-25-using.html )

In accordance with the rotation entered into the blog-record March 15 (http://davidvirgil.blogspot.com/2009/03/76-minute-5-mile-long-length-paced-run.html ), run the next run, using style A/D, the style that emphasizes high level of paces per minute.