Class 15

You’ve now gone the fastest you’ll run all term. Interval training, with its recovery breaks, allowed you to do that.

Monday’s run was meant to be the summer’s longest. My error led the “shorter” one to exceed that distance last week, so it will drop DOWN to two miles this time. The longer one will reach its intended peak of four miles.

Today I emailed the class quiz. You need to complete it (by next Friday) only if you are taking this class from me for the first time AND for credit.

TODAY’S 4 X QUARTER-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for one mile and comparison to your first week’s nonstop mile test; target was to go faster)

Brianna — 9:55 (1:49)

Jiaqi — 9:17 (no target)

Asilia — 11:24 (-2:02) most improved, earning extra credit

Jie — 8:18 (-1:37)

TODAY’S 4 X HALF-MILE INTERVALS

(with total time for two miles, per-mile pace and comparison to your first week’s nonstop two-mile test; target was to go faster)

Vadim — 13:54 (6:56 pace, -1:49 per mile)

Nathaniel — 13:33 (6:46s, -1:48)

LESSON 15: EATING WELL

Sports nutrition is a big topic whose surface we can barely scratch here. Start by realizing that the rules good eating and drinking for runners are about the same as for everyone else. The areas of special interest to you: (a) weighing too much; each extra pound translates to slower times and greater efforts; (b) eating too much, or the wrong items, too close to running time; eat lightly, at least an hour before training and two hours before a race; (c) drinking too little before, during and after runs; chronic dehydration can slow any run and can be dangerous in hot weather.