Monday, July 27, 2009

Trial and Error Speedwork

Workout Today: 10 mile warm-up at a 10 minute pace. 2 (6 X 400) 1:30 RI, 2:30 RI between sets.

Tomorrow's Workout: 6 mile run 1/2 uphill

Thought: "There are clubs you can't belong to, neighborhoods you can't live in, schools you can't get into, but the roads are always open." -NIKE


To be honest, I don't really know how to do speed work. Shoot, I'm less than two weeks away from race day and I haven't even figured out what all the abbreviations mean on my running schedule. With that disclaimer, the following is a breakdown of my workout tonight. Basically, I had to run 400 meters 12 times in 2 different sets, so I broke it down below at a per mile pace, even though I was only running quarter miles.

1. 6:00 pace
2. 7:17
3. 6:35
4. 6:58
5. 6:58
6. 6:40

7. 6:07
8. 6:15
9. 6:07
10. 6:15
11. 6:20
12. 6:53

I realized I had more to give after my first set so I ran my second set a little faster. If there is a mathematical equation for doing speed work, I wish I knew what it was. I just try and run faster than my normal pace and hope that equates to being faster on race day. That being said, due to my own low standards, I met my goal during this workout. At least I'm attempting speed work now. I used to not even do it.

5 comments:

  1. You're getting out there and pushing yourself so that counts for something! It's hard to know what pace to run.

    Have you ever played with McMillan's Running Calculator? You enter a race time and it will give you interval paces for speed workouts.

    check it out

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  2. Oh my gosh, Marlene, that's the coolest thing ever! Thanks so much!

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  3. wow! those look like excellent 200s to me! i was going to recommend mcmillan too since you are unsure on your paces. now that you've tinkered with it i look forward to seeing more of your speed!

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  4. I use the Charts in the Jack Daniels book, but I just checked the McMillan calculator and my paces from the Daniels book are right in the middle of McMillan's ranges. This was a good start (12 is actually pretty ambitious - I tried and failed to hit 12 today). Just find your pace on the calculator and try to be more consistent.

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  5. I was going to suggest McMillan's calculator as well. That's where I get my speedwork goals and I find the speeds to be challenging but achievable.

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