Track Tuesday : 3 x 1600

Sometimes I plan my track workouts weeks in advance, and I am really strict about sticking to the plan.  Other times, I don't decide what I'm doing until I show up to the track.  And then there are the days like today, when I make a last-minute plan, and then change it again after I start.  

Track workouts for me are not always about a specific training plan or goal.  I am fairly certain that most of my workouts would be more beneficial for 5k training than for half marathon or marathon training, but I'm ok with that.  I have no desire to run long-distance repeats in the endless circles on the track.  I suspect my short repeats really aren't going to do much for my marathon time, but I still think they are beneficial in their own way.  It's good to train your legs to do different things.  And I definitely saw the benefit of the track workouts when I ran the 2 mile hill challenge over the summer.  

I stayed after school today to watch the basketball game at 6:00, so I did my track workout on the school's old asphalt track. I was going to do 4 x 800, but about halfway through the first one I decided I was doing 1600s instead. As I was able to easily maintain my starting pace, it clearly wasn't the right pace for 800s anyway.  I ended up with 3 pick-up 1600s. My watch was convinced that a mile was 3.5 laps in lane 1, but I kept track of the actual 1600 splits. They ended up at 6:40, 6:38, and 6:29. (I did push a bit harder in the last 200m of the last one)

I felt really good about these repeats.  I wasn't trying to push them too hard, or to do as many repeats as possible.  It was meant as a chance to let me legs move a little faster without overdoing it, and I feel like that is 100% what I accomplished. 

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I did my first workout on this track last fall, and it was brutal!  Night and day from today's workout.  That day was hot, and there was someone mowing the grass inside the track, which aggravated my allergies and made breathing harder than normal.  It was my first track workout in a very long time, and I had always struggled with getting through the track workouts.  I managed to slog through the ladder I had planned, but it was low quality due to my allergies and overall dislike of the track. 

Fast forward to today, the experience was so much different!  I have been doing track workouts more or less consistently since last February, and having the group to do them with has made them so much less torturous.  Now I actually don't mind doing the workouts alone when I need to! 

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Do you do track workouts?  Alone or with a group?  Do you have a favorite distance for your track repeats?  Do you like track workouts or hate them with a fiery passion? 

Let me know in the comments!

Final preparations for Star City 1/2

Getting excited for my next half marathon, coming up on Saturday!  Stuck to my new routine of speed work on Tuesday and long run on Thursday.  Hoping to keep to that schedule...except for this coming week, when I will be taking it easier in preparation for Star City.

This week : 

M : 7.3 / 7:50 / 495 ft

T : speedwork 5.5 / 8:32 / 148ft (6 x 0.4)

Wolf Pack 2 / 8:48 / 33 ft

R : 12.4 / 7:50 / 558 ft (last 3.5 w/Ben)

Sa : 4 / 7:38 / 253 ft

Su : shakeout w/Ben 2 / 8:51 / 39 ft

total miles : 33.2

One of my happiest "accomplishments" this week was running both longer runs (Monday and Thursday) without my orthotics, and without tendonitis pain!  It's like my feet are normal again!  Still haven't decided if I'm racing with the orthotics or the superfeet insoles this weekend... Since one of the orthotics is cracked and currently reinforced with duct tape, I know it's only a matter of time until they are no longer functional, so I'm trying to move away from them, but I also want them to stick around just in case the tendonitis starts making noises again.  

The plan for Tuesday was 800s, but the flat street near the brewery that I wanted to do them on turned up a bit short.  I decided it was close enough.  I didn't plan on an exact number; I knew I would do at least 4, but planned to keep going until I felt like I couldn't hold a steady pace anymore.  6 turned out to be my number.  I was trying for half marathon race pace.  I did put extra effort into the last one, because that's what I like to do.  

(1st one on the list was part of my warm-up)

Thursday I made sure I didn't stay at work too late, so that I could get most of a long run done before dark.  Ben was planning on 3 miles for his last run pre-marathon, so I planned to get about 7-8 miles and then loop back through the parking lot to pick him up for the 3.  I started at 4:40, and as I got a few miles in, knew I could manage 9 before the time I told Ben I would swing back through.  12 sounded even better than 10-11.  I was really pleased with the pace I was keeping, without exerting too much effort.  I swung back through the parking lot at 8.9, and ran 3.5 more with Ben.  (Our loop got us back to the brewery in under 3 so we added an extra loop). This run went a long way in helping me feel ready for my upcoming race.  IF I can hold myself back from going out too hard, I expect a very successful race.  If, if, if.  My biggest challenge right now...gotta learn someday!

I had hoped for another long run on Saturday, but when I planned that, I had planned something more like 10 on Thursday and 10 on Saturday.  After 12+ on Thursday I figured I'd be lucky if I got 8 on Saturday.  Then I contemplated taking it off to give my legs more rest time, but they were asking for a run, so I went for it.  Sometime after 3 miles my legs decided they were done, and I did the smart thing, listened, and headed for home.  As much as I wanted more longer runs before this race, I don't want to overdo it and make my legs too tired to race well.  

I wanted a shake-out today, but figured rest was more important given how my legs felt yesterday.  Then Ben decided he wanted a post-marathon shakeout and asked if I wanted to join him for an easy 2 miles.  I figure an easy 2 miles is basically a day off, so I joined him and we talked marathon woes, lessons, and "I-told-you-sos" for 2 miles.  As of yesterday, I want to do another marathon, and I'm hoping he will be my training partner... I think getting my endurance up to marathon level will help me get my 1/2 times down, and I know the training will go so much better with a running partner!  (I wouldn't even be considering a marathon if I didn't think I had someone to train with...)

And now...Tuesday's recovery bar words of wisdom. 

Fitting after a speed workout, since they are definitely not in my comfort zone.  Or like zone.