You know, it’s funny that whenever I say “good quality run”, it seems redundant and whenever I have a “bad quality run”, it seems like an oxymoron. It’s like when you tell a nonrunner that you have a 15 mile easy run and they freak out on you.
“Oh my lord,” they say, “I can’t even run 2 feet and you think 15 miles is easy!”. No, it’s not that the run itself is actually easy, it’s just that I’m running at my easy pace which is slow compared to my marathon pace, which is not necessarily the pace I’d actually run in a marathon, but rather somewhere in between easy and threshold…oh nevermind!
Anyway, I actually looked forward to my intervals today for two reasons:
1) The were at “I” pace instead of “R” pace
2) Since I’m on a low mileage week due to the race, I only had to do 3!
So, the plan was for 3×1200 m in 4:54 with 600 m jogs. Here’s how it went:
Warm-up at E pace
1200 m in 4:44
1200 m in 4:42
1200 m in 4:46
Cool-down at easy pace
I hardly felt the first interval. I actually coasted over the last 100 m since I knew I was going too fast. I felt the last 400 m of the second interval a bit, but nothing too bad. The third interval was a little uncomfortable, but I still stayed relaxed throughout the whole thing. During my final recovery jog, I passed the 5K mark in an unofficial PR time. So, I figure a PR in the race on Saturday is pretty much a given. My goal, however is a 2 minute PR.
Overall, I ran 6 miles in 47:08 today. A good workout. I’m a bit sore, but I think I’ll be okay for the 5 easy miles on the treadmill tomorrow.
Glad to see the calf calmed down. My calves are screaming today!!!! I iced them down for 30-45 mins tonight.
Now that looks like a quality workout. I’m hoping to get some of those in myself this week (not as fast though-getting old sucks!).
you killed those intervals. a 2 min pr in a 5k is gonna be huge!
we runners can be strange birds. i was whining over the weekend about how fat and pathetic i was because my long run was “only” 12 miles.
ps: dear brian’s calf,
he’s all set up for a solid pr this weekend so keep your act together and don’t screw it up for him. thanks.
I have actually had a bad quality run a few times. Usually the run was at the right pace and at the right distance and didn’t even cause termendous pain, just rained every single step of the way. I have also had good shoddy runs where nothing was on planned pace or distance but I got to watch a deer guide its fowl, a dad teach his son how to fly fish, and the sun set over the ocean. But it is especially thrilling when it all comes together right before an event. Good luck on the 5K. Lots of prayer for your calves.
Great intervals! Hope the race goes well.
Good job. 1200 repeats are killers. What race are you doing? “Race week” always scares me. 🙂