Yesterday was Black Thursday. Or, more commonly known as Speed Work Day. Ugh.

I only do speed work because everyone who is smarter and faster than I am does it. And I like to copy the cool kids. Like Pam Smith. And Sabrina Little.

Because I’ve been spending way too much time on the treadmill watching Top Chef and the Food Network, Wednesday night I made a solemn vow to myself that I would go outside to do my speed workout on Thursday. But then I woke up to this:

And the only thing I hate more than doing speed work, is doing speed work in the rain. (Okay, I would also hate doing speed work naked, with a rash, or dressed as Minnie Mouse, but rain is definitely high on the list.) Lucky for me, the newest episode of Top Chef was on TV, so really, there was no reason to beat myself up any further about not running outside. I, mean, come on! I’m not missing Top Chef just to slip, fall head first into a parked car and end up unconscious in a grimy gutter! Sheesh!

Inside or outside, my speed work is pretty lame. I warm up for 2 miles and then alternate 400 meters fast with 400 meters easy, for 7 miles, then cool down for 1. Mileage total in case you don’t have a calculator: 10.

I realize for ultrarunning, 400s aren’t really ideal, but anything further aggravates the ruptured disks in my back (is it the pounding? the quicker turnover?), and truthfully, I don’t have the attention span for much more. My only real goal is to get my heart rate up to max and, hopefully, get a few of those comatose fast twitch muscles to come alive. I have no illusions of ever running a 2:45 marathon.

And as always, for the last few miles I daydream about what I will make to eat when I’m done:

Chocolate Pecan Cookie Sandwiches

1 cup finely chopped pecans

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/4 tsp. sea salt

1/2 tsp. baking powder

1/2 (2 sticks) butter, at room temperature

1/2 cup turbinado sugar

2 tsp. vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Toast the pecans in the toaster oven for about 5 minutes.  Mix well with the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a separate, large bowl, cream the butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy (about 2 minutes). Turn mixer to low and slowly add the vanilla and then the flour mixture. Mix until the dough forms.

Scoop out small balls onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown.

 

Chocolate Frosting

1/4 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature

1/4 cup milk, at room temperature

2 cups powdered sugar (with up to 1/2 cup extra if you want your frosting sweeter0

1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips

1 tsp. vanilla extract

In a double boiler, melt the chocolate chips (about 5 minutes).

Cream the butter with a mixer until light and airy.  Slowly add the powdered sugar, about 1/4 of a cup at a time. Add the milk and vanilla. Continue to mix.

Add the chocolate and mix well.

Spread the frosting between 2 cookies and eat with a glass of milk (unless you are lactose intolerant or just think milk is gross).

And a helpful hint: if you want to eat more than a couple of these (not that I ever would), make sure you do at least 800s instead of 400s.

Happy Running!

 

Tagged as: 400s, chocolate pecan cookie sandwiches, fast twitch muscles, Pam Smith, rain, Sabrina Little, speed work