Track Repeats

Another day of track repeats. A couple of folks from my Wed/Sat running group joined me. That made the repeats more bearable -- I knew somebody else was suffering with me and we pushed each other a bit. Thanks John and Lynde.

The plan today was 2.12 miles to the track, 3 x 800m with 1 x 400m between each, 2.12 miles home. The target pace for the 800m intervals was 3:20. Here's the breakdown:

2.12 mi @ 18:01.32
800 m @ 3:33.27 (+0:13.27)
400 m @ 2:37.82
800 m @ 3:26.79 (+0:06.79)
400 m @ 2:46.32
800 m @ 3:18.73 (-0:01.27) (Av. 3:26.26 (+0:06.26))
2.12 mi @ 18:07.94

All in all, not too bad.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

My Most Dreaded Workout -- I Won Today!

I'll make no secret about it -- I don't like track repeats. They're just plain hard. Basically, you run almost as hard as you can, jog slowly, and then do it again, and again. I'm now following a training plan to get ready for Richmond's Ukrop's 10K. I would really like to break 45 minutes. The plan called for a track workout session this week and today was the best day for that.

So, 5:10 and 28°, off I went to the track. I was supposed to do a 1 mile warm-up, 3 x 800m intervals at 3:20 each with a 400m recovery job between each, and end with a 1 mile cool down. I didn't want to do the warm up/cool down on the track (running in circles is barely tolerable for the repeats themselves), so I ran from home. My warm up and cool down were more like 1.8 miles each.

I surprised myself on the intervals:

800 x 3:22.05
400 x 2:31.63
800 x 3:19.42
400 x 2:30.06
800 x 3:16.25

The first 800m was a touch slow but the last 2 800m's made up for it. Hard but quite satisfying.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Speedwork Suffering

I'm having trouble getting my track work done in preparation for the half marathon. The training plan today called for 7 miles total with easy warm-up and cool downs, 1600 meters x 3 @7:00 and 800 meter jogs between. I managed 1600 meters x 2 @ 6:53 and 6:55, 800 meters x 1 @3:27, and 400 meters x 1 @1:42, all with 800 meter jogs in between. I couldn't sustain what was to have been the 3rd 1600 meters. Not quite sure why I can't do this. The heat was tolerable today -- 69° and 71% humidity. I was well hydrated, drank Gatorade during each job, and had downed a Gu (chocolate) prior to running.

Maybe it's a function of age -- but I could do this 6 months ago. Perhaps it's because I swapped the easy week this week for next week's harder week because of vacation in the mountains next week -- did my legs (or my brain) just need the break? One consolation -- 3 weeks ago when I was supposed to do the same workout, I only did 1 1600 meter repeat and 1/4 of a lap on the 2nd 1600 repeat. I did improve.

SPLITS:
1.9993 mi x 17:49.75 (easy warm-up)
1600 mt x 6:53.09
800 mt x 4:23.76 (jog)
1600 mt x 6:54.88
800 mt x 4:45.79 (jog)
800 mt x 3:26.86
400 mt x 2:47.15 (jog)
400 mt x 1:42.27
1.9993 mi x 17:36.24 (easy cool down)

Total run: 7.48 miles at an average pace of 8:52 mpm.

Run well, y'all,
Bob

Obama Hurdles

In this short video by RunnerSpace’s Ross Krempley, you can see Obama take a stab at the hurdles:



He was smart enough to do it this way!

Run well and smart, y'all,
Bob

Track Work

The most dreaded element of my 10K training is the speedwork. Though I generally complete it, I always go into it feeling certain that today I'll crash and burn. The plan for today called for 6 miles with a warm up, 5x800m@3:20, w/4 400m jogs, and cool down. So, off to the track at the local high school

SPLITS:
0.21 mi X 2:55.88 (walking warm up)
1.79 mi X 15:52.00
800 m X 3:21.31 (kick it up a quarter notch next 800 m)
400 m X 2:13.84
800 m X 3:19.00
400 m X 2:14.89
800 m X 3:17.71
400 m X 2:14.15
800 m X 3:17.34
400 m X 2:19.65
800 m X 3:13.29
2.0 mi X 16:35.93

OK, not bad -- negative splits and all but one 800m was sub-goal. Nonetheless, the next time out, I'll still dread those repeats.

Run well, y'all,
Bob