Hard Work

At B-CC tonight: 4 x 200 @ 40% (100j), 6 x 300 [2 x 2 @ 40%, 1 @ 60%] (100j), 4 x 300 [2 @ 60%, 2 @ 75-80%] (200j), 2 x 150 @ 85+% (250j), 4 x 200 @ 40% (100j).

Followed by a 3 mile cooldown @ 30-40% per Andrew's suggestion.

Those numbers and letters above kinda look like a crazy jumble of bullshit at first glance. The number of sets, pace changes, and varying interval and rest lengths may seem a bit confusing/unnecessary, but I much prefer doing this type of workout to something simple, boring, and monotonous (like, say, 20 x 200).

I wanted to set myself up to run well on the second set of 300s, which was the focus of the workout. I timed these 4 reps and nothing else, hitting 49, 48, 44, 45. I definitely maxed out on these 300s and the 150s afterward--the last 300 I was barely able to keep it together on the last straightaway. I hope to replicate that feeling in future workouts--to get faster I've gotta challenge my limits.

Afterward I set out to try a short-ish version the faster cooldown Andrew suggested--and I was pretty surprised at what I was capable of after such an exhausting workout. I ran to the Crescent Trail and did an out and back--timing a half mile on the way out (downhill) @ ~2:50-2:52 and a half mile on the way back (uphill) @ 2:57. I couldn't believe it--I felt like I was maybe going 6:20 pace, it felt fast but very comfortable. To and from the trail (maybe 600 meters each way) was a bit slower, so the ~3 miles ended up being around 18:30.