Class 12 (3x 1/3 & 3 x 2/3 intervals)

I’m both an interval victor (from using this training right) and victim (from overdoing it). My experience is that best results come when the number of repeats is limited, and when the recovery between is equal in time to the fast segments. That’s why I team you with another runner who’s about the same speed as you: to equalize the run/recovery times.

Tuesday’s distances will be 3.5 and 7.0 miles. They’ll take you back to the river paths. Then next Thursday will bring your final set of intervals, the shortest (quarter- or half-miles) and fastest of this term.

TODAY’S 3 X ONE-THIRD INTERVALS

(with total time and comparison to your first week’s non-stop mile; target was to go faster; if you didn’t time yourself, I divided your team total by two)

Leah – 8:20 (-1:07)

Olivia – 7:24 (-29 sec.)

Elizabeth – 8:20 (-1:38) most improved, earning extra credit

TODAY’S 3 X TWO-THIRDS INTERVALS

(same info as above, except total time for 2 miles, per-mile pace and comparison to opening test)

Alex – 13:06 (6:33 pace, -1 sec. per mile)

Daniel – 13:17 (6:38s, -1:16) 2^nd most improved

Gentry – 13:06 (6:33s, -53 sec. vs. 1^st week’s 1 mile)

Noe – 11:34 (5:47s, -44 sec.)

Mak – 10:47 (5:23s, -35 sec.)

Wyatt – 11:34 (5:57s, -18 sec. vs. 1^st week’s 1 mile)

Bill – 15:17 (7:38s, -27 sec.)

Calvin – 15:17 (7:38s, no 1^st week’s test)

Kelly – 13:17 (6:38s, -1:09) 3^rd most improved

Omar – 10:47 (5:23s, -45 sec.)

Kyle – 10:38 (5:19s, -38 sec.)

Tyler – 10:38 (5:19s, -15 sec. vs. 1^st week’s 1 mile)
Colleen -- 13:29 (6:44s, -38 sec.)

LESSON 12: COOLING DOWN

When the run ends, resist the urge to stop suddenly. Instead, walk to cool down more gradually. If the warmup shifts gears between resting and hard running, the cooldown period is a necessary transition from racing to resting. Continued mild activity gradually slows down the revved-up metabolism, and also acts as a massage to gently work out the soreness and fatigue products generated by the earlier effort. The pattern and pace of recovery are set in the first few minutes after the running ends. Some advisers will tell you to run easily during the cooldown, but walking gives the same benefits with much less effort – and you’ve already run hard enough. After this walk is the best time for stretching exercises, which loosen the muscles that running has tightened.