Rocking the Pyramid

Despite the fact that my lungs greatly protested last week’s speedwork, I was actually looking forward to today’s workout.  That may have something to do with a day off yesterday…Or maybe I’m just crazy.

Today’s plan was one of those that takes a little bit of effort just to remember:  4 x 200 m with 200 m jogging recoveries, 2 x 400m with 400 m jogging recoveries, 1 x 800 m with 800 m jogging recovery, 2 x 400m with 400 m jogging recoveries, and 4 x 200m with 200 m jogging recoveries.  So, here’s how it went:

1.16 miles warmup in 10:16

200 m intervals: 0:43,0:41,0:44,0:45

400 m intervals: 1:28,1:31

800 m interval: 3:05

400 m intervals: 1:30, 1:29

200 m intervals: 0:43,0:44,0:43,0:44

1.12 miles cool down in 9:18.

Plan: 200′s at 46 s, 400′s at 92 s, 800 at 3:04, 400′s at 92 s, 200′s at 46 s.

So, I was just below my plan for each set of intervals except the 800 in which I was off by 1 second.  I will admit that I felt like puking during the 800, so I let up a little bit.  Still, only a second off isn’t too shabby.  I’m quite happy with today’s workout.  To be honest, the book has a little dash next to my pace for the 800 m, so I’m not really sure I’m even supposed to be doing that.  I figured one wouldn’t hurt too badly.  In any case, I had scheduled the total workout for 7 miles and I ran 7.5 miles, so that’s a bonus.  My total average pace was 7:47 and I did most of the intervals at sub 6:00 pace.

The lakeside park I run at has a well marked path that is 1.1 miles around with the start, finish and each quarter mile marked with a sign.  Since each set of intervals was 1 mile in total, I took the extra 0.1 miles jogging at the end of each set so that I could use the quarter mile markers as a visual signal during my intervals.  Thus, I didn’t need to constantly glance at my Garmin (except during the 200 m intervals).