"10 in 60"...and other training runs...

I'll explain the title of today's blog in a bit but first I'd like to go back and set it up:

Thursday: You know how on television they'll be a show that will be very successful and then after a few years they'll be an offshoot (meaning one of the characters will then have their own show). Some examples are Fish from Taxi, Kelsey Grammer from Cheers, Kate Walsh from ...alright, you get the picture. With the Charlotte Running Club, Tuesday morning is the "Miner's Run" out at McAlpine. A stout group of runners(Ben, Megan, Mike, Paul, Mo, Bill, Stan, etc.) with me usually bringing up the rear (I'm good with that). Another runner and I realized that we live close by so we started a Thursday morning 10 miler together and it has been awesome! The pace is an easy/steady 7:15 to 7:30 (courtesy of Mark from MPR) and we're just cruisin' the south Charlotte streets.

Friday: Friday consisted of another easy/steady/recovery "shake-out" 10 miler. What I am trying to do is set myself up for a nice strong effort on Saturday morning (hence the 2 easy days). On Friday, I'm also e-mailing and making/receiving phone calls trying to figure out if I am going to have some training partners for the hard effort or if it is going to be solo...it was solo!

Saturday: Saturday's run is the subject of today's blog. Do any of you have a workout or run that is just a tried and true staple of your running diet (training)? For me, every since I started running back in '91, that run has been "10 miles in 60 minutes". For some strange physiological reason, I have been able to run 6 minute pace over the last 20 years. So Saturday I jumped on the treadmill, set the speed at 10.1 and just cruised for an hour (I am well aware that without the undulation of the roads AND wind that it is not the same as being outside). When I finish, I always feel good about that workout.

Sunday: I got an e-mail Saturday night from a CRC member, Megan Hovis, letting me know that a group would be meeting out at the main entrance of McAlpine Park on Sunday morning...done! And what a group it was...Beigay, HovisX2, me, Val, and along the way we picked up Jordan, John, Mark and Alana (17:09 @ 13!) and Brian for a nice and steady 20 miler at 7:20 pace. I am well aware and very grateful/appreciative that we live by and are able to run at McAlpine which each November hosts the Foot Locker High School cross country South Regional Championships.

Monday: Although my steady training partner, Rock, wanted a workout, I talked him into a nice and easy 10 miler at 7:30 pace (I'd say smart after Saturday and Sunday).

Tuesday: The "Miner's Run" now has to meet at PDS because if you were to park at the Old Bell entrance to McAlpine...you will be towed. And what a group we had on Tuesday...check this out: Megan (2:37 at the '08 marathon trials), Jay and Aaron (starting to fine-tune for Boston), Mike (2:44 at Disney), Bill (2:43 just a week and a half ago @ 45), Ben (a 1:12 half recently in Concord), Paul (he and I may have started a book club/exchange...I gave him Steve Scott, the Miler and he gave me the Perfect Distance...I made out better!) Mo (current Thunder Road Marathon Champ) and me. Another steady 10 miler (I ran the last half with Mo).

Wednesday: Today's run was a solo effort. In the middle of a 10 miler, I did 5 minutes hard followed by a 2 minutes recovery jog and I did that 7 times (reps). I'm trying to get use to/motivated to do hard workouts alone. The one thing that I truly like is that I am able to dictate the pace. Don't get me wrong...I love being pulled along by the pack/group.

Thanks for reading...

So my question is this: What workout do you have in your arsenal that has always been there and you find yourself going back to it (maybe to see where your fitness is)???