Another surprisingly speedy track workout on Tuesday while still not feeling quite right. I have no idea what it means, but I suppose it is better than a surprisingly slow track workout :)
5*1200 goal 4:15-4:19 with 2 minute rests. Nailed the first one and managed to hold it together for the rest thanks to the help of fellow CED teammate JS! If he hadn't been there I definitely would have fallen off, this was not one of those workouts where I felt light and speedy!
4:16.37
4:15.05
4:16.21
4:16.60
4:12.83
Now if I can line up a tempo and a decent long run too I will call it a good week. Just feeling a bit rundown and not sure if it is because of the crazy work schedule, a little less sleep, or motivation. To hedge my bets I'm going to take some iron and get some more sleep!
Showing posts with label 1200s. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1200s. Show all posts
Track Insanity
Sometimes winging it works for me, sometimes it blows up in my face. This FFX trip came up on me very quickly and I did no prep to figure out where I would train etc until I got here. I literally pulled up a google map yesterday and scanned the aerials to find the nearest track. I emailed the coaches and got clearance to run there after work knowing I needed to be back in time to catch the last shuttle to the metro, it would be tight even if everything was smooth sailing.
Well I didn't look really closely at that map and didn't realize I couldn't actually get to the track on foot as quickly as I thought. After a wrong path taken followed by realizing the road I needed to take was a highway I gave up and decided I would just run and do track the next day. Then I pulled up the map on the I phone again and thought maybe if I did the first 1200 on the road I could get there and get most of the workout in and still make it back with a few quarters on the road too. Ever the optimist! I started into the first 1200 with no official warm up knowing I just didn't have time. It was slow and hilly and in the middle of it I actually found a track and just went there as it was closer, I finished out the first 1200 on the track in the wind.
My stomach was a mess and the bathrooms were locked, I was looking at the watch and stressing about making it back as I started into the second interval and it just felt sluggish and was really slow, even slower than the road interval. Not good!
I calmed my mind and just committed to working hard the next 1200 and worrying about timing after that one. I had to work hard but I got close to the goal on this one. Last one I decided I could do on the track too as long as I headed straight back from there. I nailed that one finally and then headed back to the roads to finish out the quarters.
There was lots of traffic so I just focused on giving an 80-90 second effort and running really freaking hard :)
This was not my best workout and I clearly didn't nail the paces, but it was a good mental challenge and at the end of the day I put in the work and got most of it done albeit not with an ideal warm up and cool down.
Workout goals were:
4 x 1200 @ 4:18(86) with 2:30 recovery, 4 x 400 @ 82 with 90 sec recovery
I was around 4:30, 4:35, 4:19, 4:18 and then between 80 and 85 on the quarters.
Well I didn't look really closely at that map and didn't realize I couldn't actually get to the track on foot as quickly as I thought. After a wrong path taken followed by realizing the road I needed to take was a highway I gave up and decided I would just run and do track the next day. Then I pulled up the map on the I phone again and thought maybe if I did the first 1200 on the road I could get there and get most of the workout in and still make it back with a few quarters on the road too. Ever the optimist! I started into the first 1200 with no official warm up knowing I just didn't have time. It was slow and hilly and in the middle of it I actually found a track and just went there as it was closer, I finished out the first 1200 on the track in the wind.
My stomach was a mess and the bathrooms were locked, I was looking at the watch and stressing about making it back as I started into the second interval and it just felt sluggish and was really slow, even slower than the road interval. Not good!
I calmed my mind and just committed to working hard the next 1200 and worrying about timing after that one. I had to work hard but I got close to the goal on this one. Last one I decided I could do on the track too as long as I headed straight back from there. I nailed that one finally and then headed back to the roads to finish out the quarters.
There was lots of traffic so I just focused on giving an 80-90 second effort and running really freaking hard :)
This was not my best workout and I clearly didn't nail the paces, but it was a good mental challenge and at the end of the day I put in the work and got most of it done albeit not with an ideal warm up and cool down.
Workout goals were:
4 x 1200 @ 4:18(86) with 2:30 recovery, 4 x 400 @ 82 with 90 sec recovery
I was around 4:30, 4:35, 4:19, 4:18 and then between 80 and 85 on the quarters.
6*1200s
Marathon training started this week so it was on to longer repeats on the track this week, short rests, but slower (10K) pace. I was on my own this week as Salty is helping out at XC camp and NC's paces were a hair too quick for me to do without working too hard or risking a blow up.
So it would be 6*1200 with goal of 4:27 (89 per quarter) and 90 second rests. Good news about running by myself is I could take the inside lane every repeat, and I had no one to blame but myself if I was off pace.
For the first time this year, and possibly ever, I went through the first 200 right on pace in 44. Amazing! We have been in the habit of running the front 200 of most laps fast so it was nice to actually start a repeat with the right effort for once. Of course that meant I actually had to nail the effort the whole way, no slacking off on the back half. The workout went fine. Nothing special to report. It wasn't easy, but it was all very controlled effort wise. I did have to force myself to focus a few times in the early repeats as I was day dreaming a bit since the pace wasn't that difficult and I was by myself.
The right knee is still doing it's weird stiff thing when it is not warmed up. Stiff to start the warm up, and stiff on the cool down, but loosens up pretty quickly. I should probably make an effort to ice it and baby it a bit more to try and nip it before it becomes an issue.
The weather was a little cooler last night, but still hot enough that I used the ice and was feeling a bit warm after the first few repeats. Despite that we have really been getting a good crowd at the track. It has been exciting to watch everyone work hard and see the pay off at their races!
So it would be 6*1200 with goal of 4:27 (89 per quarter) and 90 second rests. Good news about running by myself is I could take the inside lane every repeat, and I had no one to blame but myself if I was off pace.
For the first time this year, and possibly ever, I went through the first 200 right on pace in 44. Amazing! We have been in the habit of running the front 200 of most laps fast so it was nice to actually start a repeat with the right effort for once. Of course that meant I actually had to nail the effort the whole way, no slacking off on the back half. The workout went fine. Nothing special to report. It wasn't easy, but it was all very controlled effort wise. I did have to force myself to focus a few times in the early repeats as I was day dreaming a bit since the pace wasn't that difficult and I was by myself.
The right knee is still doing it's weird stiff thing when it is not warmed up. Stiff to start the warm up, and stiff on the cool down, but loosens up pretty quickly. I should probably make an effort to ice it and baby it a bit more to try and nip it before it becomes an issue.
The weather was a little cooler last night, but still hot enough that I used the ice and was feeling a bit warm after the first few repeats. Despite that we have really been getting a good crowd at the track. It has been exciting to watch everyone work hard and see the pay off at their races!
| 04:25.6 |
| 04:25.3 |
| 04:25.3 |
| 04:24.6 |
| 04:23.7 |
| 04:16.0 |
4*1200, 1600
Last nights track workout was more up my alley right now. For some reason anything speedier than around 5:40 pace and I am struggling but keep things in the 5:50 to 6:00 range and I seem fine. Just another check mark in the strength is my strength column. I'm happy to have actually finished a track workout on target, even if I know it is because the pace was a little slower. The nice thing about having some super speedy workouts under my belt is 89 second quarters doesn't sound very intimidating (in reality the workout was still tough, but doable, it is just mentally easier to get on board with the workout when in the back of your head you know just 8 or so weeks ago you did 5*1600 at a faster pace with the same rest).
It also helped that last night I got assigned to work with Salty while the boys and NC were assigned slightly faster paces. It definitely took the pressure off knowing I didn't have to try and keep up with NC.
Workout was 4*1200 with 2 minute rests followed by 3 minute rest then 1600. 1200s at 89 per quarter or 4:27 and 1600 equal or faster to the 1200 pace.
Another hot night in the mid 80s with some wind, but this week I was better prepared, less stressful day at work than last week so I ate on time and better food and to avoid last weeks cramps I took an electrolyte pill before leaving work and one at the start of the workout. NC also brought a cooler like last week so each rest I would stuff ice in my bra to try and keep core temp down.
1200s:
4:25.21, 4:27.99, 4:26.33, 4:25.10
1600:
5:44.83
I know it is not my fastest workout ever but it felt good to get it done without struggling and falling apart. Hopefully before long I will be back to my fastest paces and beyond!
It also helped that last night I got assigned to work with Salty while the boys and NC were assigned slightly faster paces. It definitely took the pressure off knowing I didn't have to try and keep up with NC.
Workout was 4*1200 with 2 minute rests followed by 3 minute rest then 1600. 1200s at 89 per quarter or 4:27 and 1600 equal or faster to the 1200 pace.
Another hot night in the mid 80s with some wind, but this week I was better prepared, less stressful day at work than last week so I ate on time and better food and to avoid last weeks cramps I took an electrolyte pill before leaving work and one at the start of the workout. NC also brought a cooler like last week so each rest I would stuff ice in my bra to try and keep core temp down.
1200s:
4:25.21, 4:27.99, 4:26.33, 4:25.10
1600:
5:44.83
I know it is not my fastest workout ever but it felt good to get it done without struggling and falling apart. Hopefully before long I will be back to my fastest paces and beyond!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)