I beat myself!

Every Thursday I have a challenge scheduled for the non-recovery weeks in my Base 2 and Base 3 training. I have to do the 5K Fun Run profile on the treadmill faster than the week before - and ideally with a lower heart rate. Oh, and I have to do it after running for an hour prior, although last week I did it after swimming half an hour then running half an hour. The point is, I'm not fresh when I do this, and I push the boundaries of speed and heart rate.

Last week was my baseline: I ran it in 26:34, keeping the pace of 7.0 miles per hour until the last 1/3 km, where I pushed it up to 9. My max HR that I saw was 191.

This week I was 46 seconds faster, completing it in 25:48. I ran the first 2K at 7.1, then the rest at 7.2, then for the last 1/3 pushed it up to 9.0. My max HR was 190. So I beat myself quite nicely, although I'm nervous about the next few weeks. My best time ever was 24:40 for this program, so it would rock if I could get faster than that! But we'll see.

Today's data:

Food:
Pre-workout: Banana and milk in coffee: 110 cals
During workout: 1 GU, 100 cals
Breakfast: Mocha (nonfat, but with whip), ham and cheese, strawberries and cottage cheese: 500 cals
Lunch: Shrimp, couscous, veggies: 500 cals
Total so far: 1210 calories
Snack: 1 mini Reeses' peanut butter cup, cheese and turkey: 160 cals
Dinner: Shrimp (yeah again whatever), spinach, tortilla: 400 cals
TOTAL: 1770 calories
Um, dessert: Banana split from Dairy Queen, 510 cals
Real total: 2280 cals (still okay though)

Exercise:
Run 50 minutes outside
Run 1 mile (less than 10 min, then walking)
Run 5K fun run for time (max HR 190)
Swim 20 minutes
Calories burned: 950
Circuit training: 400 cals
Total calories burned: 1350!