Track workout - February 15, 2010

Ok -- I still have the Orcas Island race report to do - but I wanted to do a quick write-up on my track workout tonight.  It was a brutal workout -- made even more difficult by the fact that I had ran 20 km yesterday (1 lap easy and 1 lap hard around Elk/Beaver Lake).

So the workout tonight: warm-up, then 4 X 400 meters w/ 30 second rest in between; 2 minute rest; 2 X 800 meters with 1 minute in between; 4 X 400 meters w/ 30 second rest in between.  I started the first 400 meters too fast.  I got caught up in the speed of the group in front of me, and tried to stay with them, rather than running my own pace.  My legs burned and I thought to myself 'this is going to be one hard workout' -- I wasn't sure at that point that I was going to make it. My first lap clocked in at 1:25.  I was almost certain I would peter out.

The next 400s I slowed down my pace and my legs started to adjust to the speed.  My laps were all about 1:29-1:30.  It hurt, but I was happy that I had so far been able to keep consistent.  Next, we had a 2 minute rest, which I thouroughly took advantage of.  Next, came the 800 meter repeats.  These I actually found easier than the 400 meters -- sure the ace was a bit easier, but even coming into the finish I didn't feel quite as fatigued.  Both of my 800 meters were 3:07 -- pretty cool to get both right bang on.

I was worried about the next 400 meters.  I started my first of the last 400s.  My legs felt really heavy after the 2 minutes of rest.  But, amazingly I was actually able to keep the pace I'd set on my first round - bang on at: 1:29. My next 3 came in at: 1:30; 1:28; and 1:30.  I was so amazed that I kept on my pace with my first series of 400s.  My last 400 repeat, I was sore, tired and breathing hard.  I hadn't had time to fully recover before starting the last repeat -- but I kept in mind that this was the last one and to try and push it as hard as I could.  Sometimes it really is amazing what you can push through and what you can achieve -- even through the pain.

It was interesting to see the comparison with a set of 800 meter repeats that I had completed the week before. On the previous Thursday, I had ran 7 X 800 meters - but there was a horrible wind, and my repeats averaged around 3:15 - almost 8 seconds slower -- crazy what wind can do.

So, there's a bit of a training update.  My next goal race is the Comox half-marathon in March.  I'm hoping to have a PB race.  I have a short 5 km race in between - and then a few 10 kms in April and May. 

Happy training!