Interval training probably won't go down as your favorite way to start a day. The payoff will come later, when you'll go faster without it seeming any harder.
My experience with intervals tells me that a small amount of this running goes a long way, so we limit the total distance here to one or two miles. Also, best results come when the fast portion and recovery break are about equal in time, as they were today.
On Tuesday we'll meet in front of the Rec Center, then determine where to go from there as a group. The certainty is that your distances will be 2.5 and 5.0 miles.
TODAY'S 2 X HALF-MILE INTERVALS
My experience with intervals tells me that a small amount of this running goes a long way, so we limit the total distance here to one or two miles. Also, best results come when the fast portion and recovery break are about equal in time, as they were today.
On Tuesday we'll meet in front of the Rec Center, then determine where to go from there as a group. The certainty is that your distances will be 2.5 and 5.0 miles.
TODAY'S 2 X HALF-MILE INTERVALS
(with total time for one mile and comparison to last week's nonstop mile test; target was to go faster; if you didn't run that one, I used your latest long-run pace minus 1:00 as your target)
Erica -- 6:59 (-29 sec. vs. mile test) day's 2nd most improved
Teja -- 5:20 (-26 sec.)
Dameri -- 7:46 (-21 sec.)
TODAY'S 2 X MILE INTERVALS
(with total time for two miles, per-mile pace, and comparison to last week's nonstop two-mile test; target was to go faster; if you didn't run that one, I used your latest long-run pace minus 1:00 as your target)
Sara -- 13:52 (6:56 pace, -18 sec. per mile)
Joe -- 14:00 (7:00s, -50 sec.) most improved, earning extra credit
Owen -- 11:47 (5:53s, -13 sec.)
Eleanor -- ran untimed
Juan -- 16:27 (8:13s, +28 sec.)
Sara -- 13:52 (6:56 pace, -18 sec. per mile)
Joe -- 14:00 (7:00s, -50 sec.) most improved, earning extra credit
Owen -- 11:47 (5:53s, -13 sec.)
Eleanor -- ran untimed
Juan -- 16:27 (8:13s, +28 sec.)
LESSON
4: BIG DAYS
Most runs need to be easy. This is true whether you’re a beginning racer or an elite athlete. (Of course, the definition of “easy” varies hugely for these groups; easy for the elite would be impossible for the beginner.) Training for the distance and pace of races, and actually running these events, is a prescription item, best taken in proper, well-spaced doses. New racers are wise to limit themselves to one big day a week. On this day, run longer than normal (as long as the longest race distance but at a slower pace) or faster than normal on this day (as fast as the fastest race pace but for a shorter distance), or go to the starting line in a race (combining full distance at full pace). Experienced racers can put a long run AND a fast run into the same week, but don’t want to squeeze both of these PLUS a race into one week.
Most runs need to be easy. This is true whether you’re a beginning racer or an elite athlete. (Of course, the definition of “easy” varies hugely for these groups; easy for the elite would be impossible for the beginner.) Training for the distance and pace of races, and actually running these events, is a prescription item, best taken in proper, well-spaced doses. New racers are wise to limit themselves to one big day a week. On this day, run longer than normal (as long as the longest race distance but at a slower pace) or faster than normal on this day (as fast as the fastest race pace but for a shorter distance), or go to the starting line in a race (combining full distance at full pace). Experienced racers can put a long run AND a fast run into the same week, but don’t want to squeeze both of these PLUS a race into one week.
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