Tempo: 5 x 1600m Cruise Intervals

Woohaa! The best part about about track workouts is that it allows me to measure my progress. Sure they can be difficult, and some find them boring (I don't, but I'm a Masochist), but I can look at the times I ran tonight and compare them with times from months ago and see how much my training is paying off.

I started this "season" doing VO2max intervals and then shifted to 1600m cruise intervals when I realized the tempo pace training was much more beneficial for a marathon. My first bout of cruise intervals was 2 x 1600m (6:36, 6:34) and a 1200m (4:55; was supposed to be a full 1600m, but I started cramping up) in mid June. The following week, I did a full 5 x 1600m at a faster pace (6:31, 6:31, 6:30, 6:27, 6:25) and finished with 3 x 200m (0:37, 0:35, 0:36).

I hadn't gotten a chance to do a proper cruise interval workout on the track again until 2 weeks ago. My times weren't stellar, but I finished all 4 strong. This week, though, I finished 5 intervals stronger and faster and felt I had one more in me (but didn't let my ambition overpower my common sense). My 200's were also fast (0:34, 0:34)--that's even faster the Haile Gebreselassie's marathon pace!--but I've been running only 2 to avoid too much stress.

In short for this season, I'm progressing nicely. I ran about 5s/mile faster today vs. my previous best workout and felt I could've pushed another 5s/mile faster or added one more interval. And compared to my peak form from other seasons, I believe I was running 3 x 1600m (w/ 1 minute rest) in about 6:30 - 6:40 in HS (of course I was only training for up to 5k, so I was focusing more on the 400m intervals). In college, at peak I was running 5 x 1 mile (a mile is about 2.5 seconds longer than a 1600m at the pace I was running) in around 6:05 - 6:15, though with about 4 minutes rest.

Now if only there were a proper 8k I could race to compare my shape today with my shape in college (PR: 32:24). Oh, what about the 65 Roses 8k, that benefits the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation, which is 2 weeks before Bizz Johnson? Maybe...

Mileage Summary

This Week

23 miles

This Month (August)

147.5 miles

This Year (2008)

1,052.5 miles

Today's Run

Workout

Tempo pace, cruise intervals.
4 strides (about 50 -75m each), 5 x 1600m at tempo pace (6:26, 6:29, 6:22, 6:23, 6:22) with 1 minute recovery in between. Finished with 2 x 200m at repetition pace (0:34, 0:34)

Start Time

6:15 pm

Total Distance

10.5 miles

Total Time

80:00 (approx)

Route

Flat. Ran to Kezar Stadium, ran the workout and ran back.

Pre-run

Nothing

Mid-run

After 2.5 mile warm up to track, a GU and moderate stretching (giving the GU time to digest). After the 5 x 1600m and 2 x 200m, another GU.

Post-run

Glass Ovaltine with 1% milk, glass of Cytomax, and a banana w/ peanut butter