Running For My Life

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/31/2007
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 1:18:45.00
• Distance: 9 miles
• Average Pace: 8:44.78/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/30/2007
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 1:10:40.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 8:50.19/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/29/2007
• Time: 07:00:00
• Total Time: 1:13:36.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 9:12.15/mile

Workout:

• Type: Cycle
• Date: 12/28/2007
• Time: 04:00:00
• Total Time: 00:15:50.00
• Distance: 10 miles
• Average Speed: 37.89 mph

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/27/2007
• Time: 05:00:00
• Total Time: 1:55:15.00
• Distance: 15 miles
• Average Pace: 7:40.95/mile

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/26/2007
• Time: 05:00:00
• Total Time: 1:10:24.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 8:47.86/mile

Ahhhh…..a nice run to break up the hectic day of putting together scooters and installing iTunes software for the kids’ new iPods!  Next it’s off to the in-laws for more Christmas fun!

Merry Christmas everyone!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/25/2007
• Time: 11:00:00
• Total Time: 1:03:45.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 7:58.09/mile

16 miles at hilly Whitnall Park; I even got to wear my shorts in mid-December!  Heat wave!

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/22/2007
• Time: 06:00:00
• Total Time: 2:00:48.00
• Distance: 16 miles
• Average Pace: 7:32.83/mile

I know there has been a lot of discussion on these boards the past few weeks about running cadence, or stride counts.  At the same time, over the past 2-3 months I have been paying close attention to my own cadence and have been working on improving it.  So obviously I have had my running watch working double-duty during this time.

One interesting thing I have noticed is that the faster I go, the higher my cadence is.  For example, at a 9:00 pace, I am usually around 168 strides per minute.  At an 8:00 pace, the number is 172: at 7:00, it goes up to 178; and at a 6:00/5K race pace, my strides are 182 per minute.  So you can see the pattern.

Much of what I have been reading lately has said two things: 1) your cadence should be the same at every pace, and 2) your optimal number should be somewhere between 170 and 180 steps per minute.

So do I have a problem here, and if so, what is it?  The main purpose of my running is to race faster, and my “race cadence” is excellent.  Am I risking an injury at the slower speeds because my turnover rate is not quick enough?  Or are all of the running coaches who preach this stuff overlooking the obvious: that the faster you go, the greater your cadence will be.

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/21/2007
• Time: 05:00:00
• Total Time: 1:11:28.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 8:55.71/mile

2 miles @ 8:34 pace; 4 miles @ 6:57 pace; 2 miles @ 8:20 pace

Workout:

• Type: Run
• Date: 12/20/2007
• Time: 04:00:00
• Total Time: 1:01:34.00
• Distance: 8 miles
• Average Pace: 7:41.54/mile