Class 4

Interval training isn't necessarily your favorite type of training. But notice how much difference the rest break makes in how fast you can go, without seeming to work any harder. Everyone sped up by a half-minute or more per mile compared to last Thursday.

Tuesday's distance will step up to 2.5 miles. You'll run to Autzen Stadium and back.

TODAY'S 2 X TWO-THIRDS-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for 1-1/3 miles and comparison to last week's non-stop mile test; target was to go faster for this slightly longer distance)

Kamille -- 13:32 (10:11 pace, -46 sec. per mile)

Bryce -- 10:03 (7:33s, -45 sec.)

Alex D. -- 10:02 (7:32s, -38 sec.)

Amina -- 11:34 (8;45s, -1:33) day's 2nd most improved

Michael -- 7:26 (5:35s, -40 sec.)

Tanner -- ran untimed

Jessica -- 11:59 (9:00s, -1:30) day's 3rd most improved

Miranda -- 13:23 (10:04s, -1:21)

Becky -- 11:20 (8:30s, -33 sec.)

Sugam -- 10:31 (7:54s, -1:47) most improved, earning extra credit

Anthony -- 8:58 (6:44s, -40 sec.)

Max -- 7:42 (5:47s, -31 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.