Notes
The plan was 5k@sub 5:20, 4k@sub 5:15, 3k@sub 5:10 with 3:00 rest in between. I was a little nervous about this because my legs have felt achy for the past couple of days and it was pretty muggy outside. I also didn't get started until almost 9:00 pm, so I really wasn't feeling like running.
First 5k was 16:26 with splits of 5:18, 5:15, 5:53 (1800m). I felt pretty good while running and made myself slow down so I wouldn't start going too fast. The 4k started out pretty good and I hit the first 1600m in 5:13, and then a couple laps in, I started getting pretty tired, so I punked out, changed it to a 3200m and ran the second 1600m in 5:11 for a 10:24. I was feeling good at the start but I wasn't sure if I could last a whole 4k. I also made the mistake of worrying about what I would have left on the last interval rather than focus on the task at hand. That kind of thinking has killed me in the past and I don't need to make it a habit. Since I was only running a 1600m on the last interval, I wanted to run under 5:00. I got out pretty good in 73, tried to make myself relax and ran 72, 72 and I wanted to break 4:50 without digging deep, but I guess I got too excited and split 68 on the last lap for a 4:45. I was happy with the split because it felt pretty good. It also gave me the confidence that I can run right at or under 15:00 right now.
Last week, I planned on making this a session of 6x1600m close to 5:00, but after realizing how many races I have coming up, I figured something longer would be better. Hard, fast intervals are good and make you sharp but they don't teach you to get that stubborn patience that you need for the marathon. I was debating running 4800m-3200m-1600m (which I changed the workout to) but again, I thought something longer would be better. I'm a little frustrated that I changed the workout on the fly because my 3200m and 1600m times showed me that I could have stuck to the original workout and hit my goal times but I took the easy way out. I wasn't comfortable with how quickly I went from feeling strong to feeling fatigue on the second interval.
The thing I've observed through my running and through coaching others is that when you aren't very aerobically strong for your ability level, the transition from white (controlled effort) to black (really hard effort) is something that is instantly noticeable to the naked eye. When you are very strong and in shape, there isn't so much black or white, just a lot of varying shades of gray. The common mistake newer and less trained runners make is that the think they are hurting more and working harder than more fit runners and when they get more fit, races won't hurt as badly. They couldn't be further from the truth.... When you're not in shape, you have to start slow in a race and be much more patient. The change from comfort to suffering is somewhat rapid, so they can't push things early on, or they will pay the price. When you are really fit, you can hurt almost from the gun until the tape. I guess this long rant was a result of my sudden change in color in the workout as a result of not having a very strong motor yet. It's still pretty early in my season on and mentally, my mind isn't calloused yet. But in reality, I only have a little over three months to turn into a monster.