Run Test

Wednesday was run test day. The goal here is to run the same place the same way and review where you stand. Hopefully to see improvement. I love to do tests. I actually hated them in school. I didn’t study correctly, I rushed through the test and I didn’t check my work. Therefore I didn’t do very well on tests. That is of course until I got to Marketing then the tests were easy. But I love running, swimming, bike tests. The older I get the more I like them. I think partially, it shows that I can still do it.
My testing ground is a loop in the forest. It starts at the trail head just out of town in Grossenseebach and runs into the forest and back out the other side heading back to the start. It’s slightly uphill on the way out and slightly downhill on the way back. One lap is 1.32 miles. I like it because it’s close to home and it’s random. The coaching calls for the test to be on a controlled track but I prefer the dirt and the 1.32 mile distance. Less laps. The test protocol is to run the first two laps at the top end of your Aerobic HR and the second two laps at the top end of your moderate Hard HR. For me that’s 150 and 160 respectively. A special note, the last test on this course was longer and all at or below 150 beats on the HR. There is improvement:

December 14
Lap #1 10:15
Lap #2 10:15
Lap #3 30:56
Lap #4 41:16
Lap #5 51:26
Lap #6 61:46

March 5 - Total 5.2 miles each lap 1.32 miles
Lap #1 9:43
Lap #2 19:17 or 9:26
Lap #3 28:21 or 9:04
Lap #4 37:25 or 9:04

Some additional notes. Temperature was roughly the same on both tests. 35 degrees F. The only real difference in my attire is that I wore Zoot compression tights yesterday and regular adidas tights in December. I know, I work for adidas . I firmly believe people in brands get brain washed by the brand. In other words if you only run in your own brands products how do you ever know your stuff is any good. The Zoot tights are a test on compression. Does this stuff really work? I’m not ready to give it the reason for the results award but I will admit that my old legs like the feel of the compression when I’m running.
Final note for the day and this could be a full note on its own. It’s tough out there in the economy. Unless you live under a rock you know it. There really isn’t anyone it hasn’t hit. So why does a person have to lead off every discussion with giving us the bad news. I say to mister grumpy who does this, buck up little buddy. Go outside and listen to the birds. They’re singing today. They don’t know crisis. They only know that winter is over and it’s time to sing. This crisis will not last forever. If we work together in rolling forward perhaps even singing our way through it won’t seem as bad as it looks on paper.
It’s a good life…
Dave