Speed, I am (not) speed

When I was running the 1/2M last December I kept remembering my little nephew's hero Lightening McQueen (mainly because I wanted to skip the potty pit-stop because there was a line but I remembered in Cars, Lightening skipped his pit stop and it ended very badly for him) and his mantra "I am speed"

However, I haven't talked much about speed work because…I haven't been doing too much of it.

I had the best of intentions to use my short runs as speed work. I even printed Hal's intermediate training schedule which has some pace/speedwork included. I was OK about it at first but have slacked off for 2 reasons.

1. I don't really know how to do it
   

• For example I have NO IDEA what a 5K pace means for me. I just assume it means run-faster-as-though-you're-only-running-3-miles pace. But how fast is that? In my personal opinion my steady pace has gotten LIGHTENING fast (for me) I consistently run sub 10minute miles on my long runs and the last tri I did I clocked a 26:44 for the 5K run (which brings me to the question of whether or not I feel like triathlons have well measured run courses, but another time, another issue). A year ago I was averaging 12min miles so I do feel like my running has gotten WAY better but I should still focus on improving and knowing my pace.
  
• When training with TNT our dear coach had us do either hills or speed work once a week but even then I faked it. We would do 1/2mile repeats but sometimes I honestly couldn't tell if my pace was different on the intervals or not. This is the only place that I find a treadmill useful. When I am listening to Hal I set speed intervals on the Treadmill and really try to stick with it…which brings me to
  

2. I am lazy

• I fall out of my intervals so easily. For some reason more so running than in the pool. I'm not sure what it is. In both cases it is hard work (which I don't mind too much) so I'm not sure why going full out running is more mentally challenging than going all out swimming.
  
• I also get worried that if I go too hard. I won't complete the distance. This is especially daunting now that my "short" runs are either 4 or 5 miles
  

So, bottom line is that it is time to start re-implementing the speed work.

Now, hills, those are a story in themselves. I love my running trail, it help tremendously to have somewhere that I know is populated, a straight shot, no excuses type of path with lots of real estate for my long runs (and only 3 stop lights max). But it is pretty darn flat. Time to seek out some hills. Sigh, isn't it always something?