Hadd Is Back!

I’ve got lots to catch up with re my spotty Hadd workout reporting of late. For now, I’ll report on […]

By on September 15, 2007 | Comments

I’ve got lots to catch up with re my spotty Hadd workout reporting of late. For now, I’ll report on my most recent workout and reestablish an ongoing Hadd workout log.

September 14
Wednesday’s workout went reasonably well and was my longest Hadd workout in a while. Encouraging. The start to Frifay’s workout was not. I gradually built my HR up over 3/4s of a mile, but not because I was being thoughtfully restrained. Rather, I had real troubles getting my HR to come because I couldn’t push myself hard enough. For at least two miles of the workout I felt like I was running on a boat. I’m not sure if this had more to do with an unfortunate couple of days leading up to the workout, including a mental self-destruction shortly before and continuing into the workout, or to do with my massive surge in training the past month or so. Either way, it wasn’t fun. Oh, and it was drizzly and the track was empty (it’s packed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

After a while I kinda got in a groove. My HR stayed at or below my 165 bpm target through 3.25 miles at which point I stayed on the pace while letting my HR slowly drift up. It was below 168 bpm from 3.25 until 4 and then between 165 and 169 bpm past 6.25. I let my HR drift into the low 170s for the final 3/4s of a mile. As the workout progressed I enjoyed the rain and the loneliness. It became me versus the track and the watch and myself. It allowed my to focus on focusing, rather than be distracted by all the people around me. However, I was entertained when the one other guy who had been working out said from the infield late in my workout “you could do those 6:20 to 6:30 all day.” I relied, “I hope so.”

Anyway, the workout started off unpleasant and wasn’t a true Hadd workout. Fortunately, it evolved and ended up a solid workout and my longest since late-May.

Hadd Logg
Date – Dist. – Pace (ave) – HR ave (bpm)
9/14 – 7 miles – 6:27 – 166
9/12 – 6 miles – 6:28 – 167
Lots to Fill in
6/22 – 5 miles – 6:16 – 165
6/20 – 6 miles – 6:27 – 164 [Bonus 7th mile in 5:4?]
6/19 – 1 mile – 6:40 – 164 [Too hot]
6/15 – 6 miles – 6:22 – 163
6/13 – 3.75 miles – 6:29 – 164 [Ended by thunderstorm]
6/5 – 5 miles – 6:29 – 163
[After this point I decided I should be working out at less than 165 bpm]
5/24 – 5 miles – 6:26 – 167
5/22 – 8 miles – 6:15 – 169
5/17 – 5 miles – 6:11 – 166
5/15 – 6.5 miles – 6:22 – 167
5/8 – 6 miles – 6:36 – 172 [bike path]
4/30 – 5.5 miles – 6:40 – 167 [bike path]
4/25 – 5 miles – 6:22 – 165

Bryon Powell

Bryon Powell is the Founding Editor of iRunFar. He’s been writing about trail running, ultrarunning, and running gear for more than 15 years. Aside from iRunFar, he’s authored the books Relentless Forward Progress: A Guide to Running Ultramarathons and Where the Road Ends: A Guide to Trail Running, been a contributing editor at Trail Runner magazine, written for publications including Outside, Sierra, and Running Times, and coached ultrarunners of all abilities. Based in Silverton, Colorado, Bryon is an avid trail runner and ultrarunner who competes in events from the Hardrock 100 Mile just out his front door to races long and short around the world, that is, when he’s not fly fishing or tending to his garden.