In my marathon training, the only speed work I did was with a couple of my Nike mixes (Lance Armstrong's and Fearless: Zoom Jasari + Mixed Run) where I just pick up my speed and effort for two minutes at a time. It has been pretty unofficial, mostly just a cure for boredom.
This is Lance Armstrong's mix. The one I have from iTunes has Lance coaching me through the intervals.
Today I met Laura at the local Junior College track for some speed work. We ran around the campus to warm up (about 1.5 miles) and then went onto the track. It was actually kind of fun, but it was hard and I'm not sure if I would really want to do it alone. As it is, I skipped the last two 200 splits because my ham string was really bothering me. Laura skipped the last 800 and all the 200's because of a sore Achilles. It isn't a great sign when we are fighting injuries at the beginning of the training program. These injuries are really leftover from the marathon training. Hopefully, over the next 8 weeks, we'll get over these issues.
There are recommended split speeds for your ultimate pace for your race. I have decided to train to run the half at a 9-minute-mile pace. I don't think I will quite get there, but who knows. I would rather run faster during tempo runs than plan for 10-minute-mile splits. My goal right now is to run it in about 2:07 which is around 9:40 per mile. If I have a great day and break 2 hours- GREAT. But I learned in the marathon that what you plan on running and what you actually run on race day (when you are a rookie like me) can be two different things.
Here is what I did:
1 X 1200 (at race pace)-- 6:45 [right on the money, but I doubt if I could sustain that pace for 13.1 miles... we'll see in 8 weeks]
2 X 800 (at 10K pace)-- 4:08 and 4:21 [RW suggests that for a 9-minute-mile half marathon, this split should be 4:16]
4 X 200 (at 5K pace)-- :52 and :56, DNR #3 and #4 [although I highly doubt I could keep up that pace for 3 miles; RW recommends 1:01 for a 9-minute-mile training program]
I have a plan now for my half marathon. I based it on this training plan from Runner's World: http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-238-244--6851-3-2X5X8-4,00.html
I think I might swap the Tuesday and Wednesday workouts so I can have a recovery run after my long Sunday runs. Any thoughts on this plan??? Sorry for all the abbreviations etc. It is like learning a new language or something...
Overall, it was a decent workout. It wasn't GREAT, but it wasn't bad. I just wish my ham string would feel better.
Oh... a question for Nike+ users-- do you use your Nike+ during tempo workouts? iPod fans-- do you listen to music when you run 200 and 400 sprints? I really didn't like hearing myself breathe (or wheeze in the latter sprints), but it's not like I could really hear an entire song. I am new to this kind of thing and curious what others do.
Sorry I am rambling so much!
2 comments:
To be honest, I don't always have time to get to a track to these types of workouts. My tempo's are usually done on the TM and I use Lance's workout or Kara Goucher's or something like that. Not sure I would be a big fan of the wheezing either!
Your plan for the switch sounds good, but I am probably not the best at giving advice on these types of things. My plan is a little more open. I run 4 times a week and I make sure I get a long, a tempo, speed intervals, and hills every week. Distance is all based on how I feel (or don't feel) and the excuses I can come up with to cut the run short.
Good job on the run, BTW.
Lisa, when I do do track workouts, I am all by my lonesome, and that is DEFINITELY a time I don't want to hear myself breathe/wheeze. So the ipod is on, even if it's only 200s I am doing, and it's playing something really fast. I'm like Chris, my goal is to do one of them once a week but it doesn't always work out. Now that school is letting out next week for most towns around here, I will have less of an excuse to not do them.
My god, that is a fast pace for those 200s. I try to do 400s in about 1:45 or 1:50. Depending on how I am feeling, I walk 100 or 200in between. Now I feel better knowing you had not done them through your marathon training. I had been feeling guilty, like I was missing something all this time. Of course the speed has not been picking up either like I would like.
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