Surprise at the Track

While I have not been blogging much in May, I've still been running. Seems I needed a break from blogging more than from running :) I've been trying to take it a bit easier on the running, listening to my body, and taking it one day at a time, since this is just maintenance until the next session starts on June 9. I'm averaging 20-25 miles per week, including a 12 miler and 14 miler on back to back weekends two weeks ago, plus 10-15 more of walking to/from the bus. I cut way back on long runs last week and this week to let me legs recover before I start abusing them again with crazy long millage and back to back long runs when Goofy training starts. I've also entertained myself plotting how I can fit in an ultra before Goofy, but more likely in 2013 after Goofy. I now think I want to run a 50 miler sometime in 2013. We shall see :)

I started going to the track again the past few weeks, mainly because the variety helps keep me from getting bored when I don't have any races, but I've not been given it my all since again I'm just in maintenance. So imagine my surprise at the amazing track workout I had this morning when I thought I might just end up running slow circles to get in some miles. 

The plan was 4-6 x 800 @10k pace. I normally run track intervals at the target pace prescribed by the average of my last 3 Magic Mile times for the given distance. That would mean 9:30 pace, or 4:45 per 800, which funny enough is my current 5k PR pace. Last year my goal for 800s was 9:45-10:00 pace. I wasn't sure I wanted to push that hard today, so I thought I would target my current 10k PR pace of 10:15 instead. I programmed the Garmin for 6x800/200 repeats, with a warm up and cool down, and set the pace range for the 800s to 9:30 - 10:15 so the Garmin wouldn't yell at me if I was able to pull off a slightly faster pace. 

After a good warm up, Chris and I took off at what felt like a very comfortable pace; we were still able to talk fairly well and were barely out of breath, but the watch kept beeping at me to slow down! We nailed 5 x 800 intervals at my target 10K pace, and it felt almost effortless. Not only that, but we maintained a fairly consistent pace for all of them, within 1-2 seconds, and I wasn't really paying that much attention to that. I was just running. We were getting tired during the last one, and the slight slower pace shows it. So we quit while we were ahead and ran easy to cool down until I had a total of 5 miles, but that was still under 10:30! I felt fantastic! It sure helps to have company. It was wicked warm and humid, but a nice breeze kept us cool during the 800s. 

I'm so ready for this new season to start! Bring it on!

Here's the data:

Total: 5.04 in 56:30 @ 11:12

Goal: 800 in 4:45 - 5:07 @ 9:30 - 10:15

• 1.25 @12:28 warm up
• 4:44@ 9:29
• 4:43 @9:27
• 4:44 @9:29
• 4:42 @9:25
• 4:45 @9:31
• .8 @10:19 (cool down)

Three Things Thursday: Dump the Pump, Ultimate Runner Book, Galloway

#1 - Today is National Dump the Pump aka Ride Public Transit Day and you can ride the bus for free in many cities, including the Lynx in Orlando! So of course, we skipped the bike and rode the bus today. I think riding on days when I run is the best option, so we may try biking Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays, and taking the bus on Tuesday and Thursdays. Fridays will be an optional bus day if we feel we need additional rest and may be necessary when I have a really long run aka early morning on Saturdays. If you have no idea what I'm talking about, check out my previous post on Living without a Car.

#2 - I've been reading the Ultimate Runner on my bus rides to work, and it is so inspirational. The stories get me very emotional, and I am almost on the verge of tears of joy several times. A full review is coming soon, when I finish it, and a chance for you to win your very own copy!

#3 - Marathon training with the Galloway Group is in full swing, and I'm loving it. Unlike previous years when I only joined them for the Saturday long runs, this year I plan to join them for all 3 runs including the 5 am workouts on Tuesdays and Thursdays. I am not thrilled about the early morning wake up call, but I'm loving the workouts, especially the speed work on the track -- am I weird? LOL I also have fellow runner blogger Robin to share the experience and carpool from time to time.

Track Workout: Intervals Ladder

Scheduled:
400/600/800 (3MR) 800/600/400 with 200 recovery walk or slow jog between each interval. 400 and 600 @ 5K pace; 800 @ 10K pace

Actual:
I ammended it slightly to use miles and program the intervals in my Garmin since I don't think it can do distances in meters (if it can and anyone knows how, let me know).

I walked .34 miles to the track from my apartment, so I just ran an easy 1/2 mile at a 12:11 pace to warm up, then began the intervals. After the intervals, I walked for less than 1/10th of a mile and ran for a combined total of .55 mile at 12:26 pace. Then I walked another mile to Publix and home.

My 5K pace is 11ish, but I can't run that slow for short distances when I am not taking walk breaks. I also think it has probably gotten faster and I just haven't run a race since to confirm it. The program director said it's ok to run them a little faster as long as I am able to keep a consistent pace and not fade at the end. I think I ran them too fast last week since I was only able to do 1 set, so I decided to target a 10:00 pace for the 400s and 600s, and a 10:15 pace for the 800s and focus on keeping a consistent pace throughout the whole workout. I'm really pleased with my efforts. I probably could have gone a little faster, but I think this was enough of a challenge, yet not so fast that I wanted to die at the end. I'll probably try to speed it up gradually in upcoming workouts.

Below are my times for each run interval. I'm not sure how the pace is different for the 800s when the time was the same *shrug*

time / pace / distance

2:32 / 9:58 / .25
3:43 / 10:03 / .37
5:07 / 10:12 / .5
5:07 / 10:14 / .5
3:41 / 9:54 / .37
2:25 / 9:58 / .24

Track Workout: Intervals

I find it amusing that I should read this post on intervals over at Half-Fast the day before my first interval track workout. I flirted with intervals once before, just after I had finished C25K, but it never went anywhere. During my half marathon training, we had the option of doing track work on Thursday mornings but I lived too far away then to get up early enough to be there by 4:45 am. Now that I am less than 5 miles away, I figured I'd give it a try. It went pretty well and getting up at 4 am to do this wasn't too bad, but I may opt to do this workout on Wednesday nights with the WRAP program instead, since they meet at a track within walking distance from my apartment.

So on to the workout ...

Scheduled:
6-8 x 400 @ 5k pace
200 recovery walk or slow jog between each 400
1 or 2 sets with a 3 minute recovery after the 1st set

Actual:
Since my millage has been low lately, and my pace slowish, because of the knee/foot issues I had after the half marathon on 2/8, I didn't want to push it too much, so I opted for just one set of 6. The knee felt fine, but better safe than sorry.

Warm up:
nice and easy 1 mile in 13:05 without walking.

Intervals:
I ran the first 2 intervals using the track as my measurement, but it was dark and I was confused as to where the halfway point was for the recovery walk, so after 2 intervals I decided to set my watch to do .25 mile / .13 mile intervals. This ensured I ran a consistent distance for each interval for better comparison, and that I wouldn't have to worry about where on the track to run or walk.

Here are my times for each run interval:

time / pace / distance
2:39 / 9:23 / .28
2:26 / 9:26 / .26
2:19 / 9:08 / .25
2:15 / 8:58 / .25
2:11 / 8:43 / .25
2:11 / 8:44 / .25

Cool down:
After the 6th interval, I walked for a bit then jogged 1/2 a mile at an 11:53 pace, then walked one last lap for good measure. My right knee and thigh felt a little tight, but no real pain to speak of. Including the warm up and cool down, I ran 3.7 miles in 43:55 for an average 11:52 pace.

Analysis:
Except for the 1st 2 intervals, I'm ecstatic to see these negative splits, and the 1st 2 intervals I attribute to the confusion. These times/pace seem really fast to me. I do not run sub-10 5Ks, and certainly not sub-9, but I didn't feel like I was exerting myself that much.

Maybe I am supposed to average a 5K pace when you include the recover jog/walks? If so, then I need to walk/jog faster, or the more likely reason is that I simply do not push myself enough at races. It could also be the effects of my bike and swim cross training coming throuhg.

Either way, I am very happy with this workout and look forward to the next one. I know what you are all thinking, that I am crazy for wanting another date with intervals, but we're still in the honeymoon stage of our relationship. Give it time ;)