Class 12

If you tested yourself at two miles today, you’re working your way up to 5K the final week. If you ran that distance today, you’ll get a chance to better your time in week 10.

Tuesday’s run options will be 3.5 and 4.5 miles. You’ll return to the river paths, going to Autzen Stadium and back for the 3.5, and running a lap around the stadium for the 4.5.

TODAY’S 2-MILE TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster; * = faster than first week’s one-mile test; if you didn’t account for stop time at lights, I subtracted the average pause of one minute from the time read to you at the end)

James B. – 15:10 (7:35 pace, -31 sec. per mile)

Leah – 17:40 (8:50s, -2:20) day’s most improved, earning extra credit

Olivia – 18:00 (9:00s, -1:11) day’s 3^rd most improved

Amina D. – 20:09 (10:04s, -15 sec.)

Bella – 2.6 miles in 20:53 (8:02s, -36 sec.)

*Daniel – 16:05 (8:02s, -15 sec.)

Aminah K. – untimed

James S. – 15:57 (7:58s, -1:35) day’s 2^nd most improved

TODAY’S 5-KILOMETER TEST

(with per-mile pace and comparison to your last long run here; target was to go faster; if you didn’t account for stop time at lights, I subtracted the average pause of one minute from the time read to you at the end)

Erik B. – 27:21 (8:49s, -26 sec.)

Scott – 22:54 (7:23s, -17 sec.)

Katie – 33:16 (10:44s, -26 sec.)

Eric S. – 21:47 (7:01s, -39 sec.)

Eleanor – 30:21 (9:47s, -1 sec.)

LESSON 12: COOLING DOWN

When the run ends, resist the urge to stop suddenly. Instead, walk to cool down more gradually. If the warmup shifts gears between resting and hard running, the cooldown period is a necessary transition from racing to resting. Continued mild activity gradually slows down the revved-up metabolism, and also acts as a massage to gently work out the soreness and fatigue products generated by the earlier effort. The pattern and pace of recovery are set in the first few minutes after the running ends. Some advisers will tell you to run easily during the cooldown, but walking gives the same benefits with much less effort – and you’ve already run hard enough. After this walk is the best time for stretching exercises, which loosen the muscles that running has tightened.