Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Silver linings

My plan has gotten a bit mucked up this week.

FIRST called for 3 x 1600 this week, which was awesome as I had my eye on a casual local 5k after work. My team from Sunday was planning to do it, and I worked out a few handicaps for us to compete- winner gets beer, or something. A had to break 21:00, P just had to keep himself below 20:00, M had to break 21:45 and I had to break 22:30 (I think I was a little hard on myself- 23:00 would have been challenge enough!)

Unfortunately, it was not to be. C reminded me in the morning that I had agreed to run with her after work- to help her with a fast paced run. Grr. Stupid Kate! I didn't mind helping C, I like helping her, and I like running with her- I just really wanted to race! So C and I did 12k after work, averaging about 9:40 pace). I'm still not convinced that I am working her hard enough- I judt don't know how to push her. I met up with the others after they'd had their beers. M was the winner of the handicap competition, he smashed his goal by doing 20:36! But P was the first of them to finish (19:57- my boy is amazing) and A was the first woman OVERALL!! Woohoo! She also got a decent PB (21:12- previous PB was 21:30ish, I think) so she has a lot to be proud of. I also found out that I would almost certainly have placed.

Big GRRR

But every cloud has a silver lining, and doing a 5k last night would have meant I couldn't do my replacement speedwork this morning. I decided to switch the 3 x 1600 to next week, to encourage me to do the 5k race next Tuesday, and instead did 10 x 400 (except I was running late so did 8 x 400). I felt pretty good. Some of my intervals were a bit over, but I have calculated my 400m equivalent. Here we go:

1:35
1:33
1:30
1:32
1:29
1:30
1:27
1:27

How fast am I?? So fast I can't even see me ;-)

My legs were killing me by laps 7 and 8, but looking at my splits I can see why.

This is the first time my splits have been accurate, so I can't do any realistic comparison. Maybe I'm not faster than I was. I also had a tail wind every time. Cheater. I don't care. It's worth it to see sub-6:00 pace. I kick butt.

Incidentally- I know it's bad to do my long runs too fast and my tempo runs too slow. But what about speedwork? Is it bad to go under pace, or should I keep trying push the intervals down? I've been assuming speedwork is for going hard, and I'm not going *too* hard..

I am going to try to do my tempo run Thursday night or Friday morning. A bit naughty, as it will mean several days in a row of running, but I don't want to miss another tempo session, and my long run this weekend will be at a veeeery easy pace. I think it will be OK. I still have 5 weeks to go, and I will not be doing hard XT over the next few days. So unless anyone tells me very strongly not to, I am going to fit my key runs in.

8 comments:

Wes said...

"I kick butt."

Have I not been saying that? Grrrr :-)

Afternoon Tea With Oranges said...

That's some fast 400s! You DO kick butt!

Unknown said...

It sounds like you're getting the runs in, despite changing your plans.

I might be able to do a 400 that fast...on my bike!

Janet Edwards said...

Even though you don't have too many workouts on the FIRST plan, they can still seem to require some planning to get them in....especially when you are trying to fit in a bunch if other things like 5Ks and such.

Way to keep on it!

i am Susan said...

All I can say is WOW...those are some great splits.

E-Speed said...

I think the speed workouts are designed at that pace for a reason but as long as you are close either way (fast or slow) I think you are meeting the purpose of the workout.

You are doing great!

Steve Stenzel said...

Great workout!! I can see why you had those burning legs on 7 and 8! Well done!!

Rachel said...

Impressive! That's verrry fast!