Was this workout from a plan? The half mile recovery seems long to me. The tempo interval workouts I did last year had 1-2 minute rest between intervals.
This is more of a "gearing up" for tempo runs/tempo intervals.
5k - 25:15 (11/18/12)
10k - 1:01:51 (2/14/15)
10mi - 1:33:18 (3/2/14)
HM - 2:06:12 (3/24/13)
Upcoming Races:
Benched until further notice. :/
Everything you need is already inside. [[Bill Bowerman]]
But I don't think tempo runs ever feel comfortable to me either.
To me, comfortably hard is my easy pace.
For me ^ I actually find the first one to be a struggle (and often slowest).
+1. Not only do I appreciate an extended warmup, it takes some time to get into a groove.
Jack - Thanks for the link. I definitely don't want to be running these too fast, but I also want to make sure I'm not taking the easy way out. I'm not sure what my 5k time is at this point, but I would guess around 26-27 minutes based on what I ran this past October/November (4-6 weeks after 6 months on the bench). That would put these intervals at 8:55-9:06. I could always give that a go and adjust from there. LRB - My 5k PR was soft at the time. It was my second race and I had only been running for a few months, so I was still figuring out how to pace myself. I'm not quite sure what my current fitness is, but 8:34 is probably a good guess. Good to know I was doing a tough workout. I feel like such a wimp when it comes to speed/stamina. I have a 10k coming up in a few weeks and hope to get a better idea of my fitness/spring HM goals. Half Crazy - The first mile felt doable, the second felt comfortably hard, the third felt just plain hard. Based on all the feedback, I'm thinking I should try something closer to a 9 mm and then see how that feels. And I agree about the recovery pace. I felt decently recovered after the first interval, but not quite after the second. I think slowing them both down is a good idea.
Jack - Thanks for the link. I definitely don't want to be running these too fast, but I also want to make sure I'm not taking the easy way out. I'm not sure what my 5k time is at this point, but I would guess around 26-27 minutes based on what I ran this past October/November (4-6 weeks after 6 months on the bench). That would put these intervals at 8:55-9:06. I could always give that a go and adjust from there.
LRB - My 5k PR was soft at the time. It was my second race and I had only been running for a few months, so I was still figuring out how to pace myself. I'm not quite sure what my current fitness is, but 8:34 is probably a good guess. Good to know I was doing a tough workout. I feel like such a wimp when it comes to speed/stamina. I have a 10k coming up in a few weeks and hope to get a better idea of my fitness/spring HM goals.
Half Crazy - The first mile felt doable, the second felt comfortably hard, the third felt just plain hard. Based on all the feedback, I'm thinking I should try something closer to a 9 mm and then see how that feels. And I agree about the recovery pace. I felt decently recovered after the first interval, but not quite after the second. I think slowing them both down is a good idea.
Well then you might be where you need to be then.
Also speed work doesn't necessarily get easier, but the more you do it the less it sucks...sometimes...
...okay actually I take that back. lol
race obsessed
Are they last intervals supposed to feel harder? YES, if they aren't you aren't running them fast enough. Don't lengthen the recovery time but maybe slow down the recovery pace. You're training your body to run faster. I'm usually good with a .5 mile cool down. I don't know that an extended cool down has any benefits. One other note, don't get too hung up on "matching paces" week in and week out on intervals. Some weeks I'm running intervals at 6:00 pace and other weeks I'm closer to 7:00. It all depends how I'm feeling that day. The key is to run by effort and the effort should be hard through the workout. My perception of intervals: First interval: comfortably hard Second interval: hard Third interval: damn this is hard Fourth interval: I'm ready to puke
Are they last intervals supposed to feel harder? YES, if they aren't you aren't running them fast enough.
Don't lengthen the recovery time but maybe slow down the recovery pace. You're training your body to run faster.
I'm usually good with a .5 mile cool down. I don't know that an extended cool down has any benefits.
One other note, don't get too hung up on "matching paces" week in and week out on intervals. Some weeks I'm running intervals at 6:00 pace and other weeks I'm closer to 7:00. It all depends how I'm feeling that day. The key is to run by effort and the effort should be hard through the workout.
My perception of intervals:
First interval: comfortably hard
Second interval: hard
Third interval: damn this is hard
Fourth interval: I'm ready to puke
I concur with the exception being the 3rd interval is always my most difficult and typically the slowest.
Similar in races as well, the 3rd quarter of a race is where I really struggle.
Labrat
The tempo intervals I have run basically boil down to:
5-6 min with 1 min recover
10-12 min with 2 min recovery
15-20 min with 3 min recovery
That latter one is a tough workout that gets hit no more than twice in a marathon/half training cycle.
5K 20:23 (Vdot 48.7) 9/9/17
10K 44:06 (Vdot 46.3) 3/11/17
HM 1:33:48 (Vdot 48.6) 11/11/17
FM 4:13:43 (Vdot 35.4) 3/4/18
I think it's normal for the last interval to be the toughest. As long as you can complete it at the same pace as the previous two, I think it sounds just right. Don't be afraid to run the recoveries slow. I don't think the cool down matters much - it's more of a way to make the entire run longer (pad the distance, which is good, but it doesn't really matter if you do the miles before or after)
I think it's normal for the last interval to be the toughest. As long as you can complete it at the same pace as the previous two, I think it sounds just right. Don't be afraid to run the recoveries slow.
I don't think the cool down matters much - it's more of a way to make the entire run longer (pad the distance, which is good, but it doesn't really matter if you do the miles before or after)
^^This.
Also, like onemile and LRB have said (and maybe others) my first one is often challenging, and am often a little slow.
Unlike others, I don't run them until I'm ready to puke. When I'm tired enough that I have a hard time holding form, that's my last one for sure. Next time I'll do them slower, take more time in between, do less reps... but if I push myself too much, I lose form and risks of injury become greater. The last rep, to me, should be hard, pretty hard actually, but not more than that.
I always like to leave one rep out there. That is, I could do one more if I had to.
Now of course that depends on the pace and distance, the day of the week, where the sun is in the sky and all that jazz. But in general the goal for me is to be more taxed mentally than physically.
Agree with Sly, the 2nd to last interval is the toughest. One thing I would add is not to do the same workout, mix it up by varying the speed disatnce or number of repeats, the recovery distance or pace but don't get hung up on running the speed portion faster. If it seems too easy just reduce your recovery. I knew I was in shape when I was doing my 1000m repeats 10 sec./mile faster than half marathon race pace and my 800m recovery 10 sec./mile slower.
Youth Has No Age. ~ Picasso / 1st road race: Charleston Distance Run 15 Miler - 1974 / profile
I always like to leave one rep out there. That is, I could do one more if I had to. Now of course that depends on the pace and distance, the day of the week, where the sun is in the sky and all that jazz. But in general the goal for me is to be more taxed mentally than physically.
The only time I get to the point where I *can not* grunt one more out is the end of a race. So far when I hit that finish I am on the verge of passing out, stumbling over my legs or just damn crashing in a heap of hot mess.
In training, no matter how hard it hurts I can always get another one out if it were absolutely necessary. Though as Cyberic mentioned - form becomes a huge factor.
Nice way of putting it
I have no clue how to quote from a different thread, but Slymoon posted this in the dailies:
Pace is Daniels 'T' Threshold pace. (page 53 in Daniels 3rd ed.) ie: comfortably hard - should be able to hold it for 20-30 min in training.
More experienced runners, should tempo intervals ever leave you at the point of OMG kill me now, I am ready to puke? The only time I ever felt that during tempo intervals was when I did not adjust my pace on a 90+ degree and humid summer evening.
NovaRunner, here's some paces from a Daniel's calculator:
From a Daniel's calculator
26 min 5k 8:48 tempo pace 10:31-11:11 easy pace
26:30 5k 8:59 tempo 10:44-11:20 easy pace
27 min 5k 9:09 tempo 10:52-11:35 easy
I find for tempo intervals, I always start them too fast. The treadmill will prevent that.
More experienced runners, should tempo intervals ever leave you at the point of OMG kill me now, I am ready to puke?
Where Daniels is concerned tempo pace is one of his slower training paces coming in around most runner's 10k pace. "I" pace or VO2 max pace is around 5k pace and "R" pace is around mile pace.
Therefore, a workout which consisted of 4 x 1600's at tempo pace could conceivably be easier (physically at least) than one with 4 x 1000's at 5k pace or 3 x 800's at mile pace despite being longer.
Tempo runs and intervals rely more on mental strength than anything because the duration is longer, not necessarily because they are physically harder. But everyone is different so there is always that.
I have no clue how to quote from a different thread, but Slymoon posted this in the dailies: Pace is Daniels 'T' Threshold pace. (page 53 in Daniels 3rd ed.) ie: comfortably hard - should be able to hold it for 20-30 min in training. More experienced runners, should tempo intervals ever leave you at the point of OMG kill me now, I am ready to puke? The only time I ever felt that during tempo intervals was when I did not adjust my pace on a 90+ degree and humid summer evening. NovaRunner, here's some paces from a Daniel's calculator: From a Daniel's calculator 26 min 5k 8:48 tempo pace 10:31-11:11 easy pace 26:30 5k 8:59 tempo 10:44-11:20 easy pace 27 min 5k 9:09 tempo 10:52-11:35 easy I find for tempo intervals, I always start them too fast. The treadmill will prevent that.
Echo LRBs post regarding Daniels and comments.
No, tempo intervals should not make you feel that way. That is indeed race pace, near 100% effort and not the goal of Tempo.
It should be hard, you should finish breathing quite hard and need a recovery (jog or walk) and you should be dreading the next one (if you have another) But it shouldn't be something you think is impossible.
More experienced runners, should tempo intervals ever leave you at the point of OMG kill me now, I am ready to puke? The only time I ever felt that during tempo intervals was when I did not adjust my pace on a 90+ degree and humid summer evening. I find for tempo intervals, I always start them too fast. The treadmill will prevent that.
No. The 1st rep you'll be thinking "Damn, that feels quick". This is compared to your easy run pace. By the time you're on your last rep it will seem doable, not OMG hard.