6 replies to this topic

[JeffP]

Took myself (and the dogs) out for my first interval session at the local oval. The motivation is to work on my slow "comfort zone" cruising pace. I'll happily jog 10k (at 5:40/km), but push me out of my typical pace and I run out of puff quickly.

So
10x 440m at a "feels quicker/harder pace" (2:03avg or 4:40/km, avg hr 164, max hr 188)
and
10x 200m "oh my goodness I want to sit down" recovery (1:58avg or 9:50/km, avg hr 157)

Boy was I knackered at the end, and today definitely feel like a recovery run will be in order. Hopefully there's a little less mud next week as ~150m of it was sodden and felt a bit like running in sand and had to adjust my line slightly each lap so as to not carve a mud trench and upset the cricketers. The one 50m hard/dry section was sooo noticeably easier to sustain a faster rhythm on. Stride length difference (~30cm) between warm-up and pace was easy to see in the mud. Lap 2 and 3 was mentally the hardest with "stuff this I want to go home" coming from the coach potato in me. Laps 3-10 were all within 3s of each other, but 15s slower than lap 1. I tried to push hard on lap 9 and 10 but it was if the legs had no power, the brain was saying "come on a bit more" and legs said " ok 2 strides worth then bugger off or I'll stop and let you get up close and personal with the mud".

Now I know the times are not even close to many on these forums (who by the way I'm in awe of), but its a start...

[kathmandu]

Well done Jeff, thats a fab effort.
You dont need to be fast to get the benefit of consistent intervals.
Keen to hear how your times improve.
Good on ya

Oh and PS hopefully the next time is a little easier, you should finish feeling like you could go one more, not totally smashed!!

[Eagle]

Sounds like a very tough session first up. 10 repeats of anything at any pace is always going to be hard menatlly and physically and in particular the 400's. Always aim to start of steady and build then hold the pace through the repeats.

There is an infinite way to vary the sessions by playing with the pace and the recovery times.

Good luck and lets know if they have an affect on your 10k time. Oh and be patient with them as these sessions can lead easily to an injury.

[sunny1]

Have you thought about trying 10 X 200s to start with. Will still push you out of your 'slow "comfort zone" cruising pace', but with less potential for injury/overdoing it early. Make the session a bit more rounded with a 1km cruisy warmup and then when your legs are dead from the intervals, a 1km cooldown.

[JeffP]

Thankyou for the feedback. Agree'd it was probably a bit much first time out, particularly in the mud. I had tunnel vision (my wife would say something like "you're a autistic stubborn sod") with the pace lap being "a lap" and not say 1/2 lap pace and 1/2 lap cool down. I'm looking forward to doing next weeks session. Hopefully the energizer/peabrained dog will get the hang of it and stay somewhat in front of me to be a pace setter like on the trails, instead of swinging left/right with the excitement of a new location and requiring my constant attention.

[kathmandu]

nothing wrong with being an 'autistic stubborn sod', they make the best runners.

Are you following a program at all?? if not, you mention you run out of puff anything above your comfy pace, so i was thinking you might benefit from longer intervals at slightly above your comfy pace. Ive only been doing speed work for a year, so dont have lots of experience, but ive had huge improvements with a combination of short and long (tempo) intervals. The longer intervals really help me feel comfortable at race pace, are also easier on your body and recovery is quicker. Anyhow just a thought.

Good luck with it all Jeff, keep us posted.

[JeffP]

Part of the trouble is I've not been following any sort of program. I tend to just go out for a run when I'm motivated enough and just run at what ever pace is sustainable. I'm trying to now get some regularity to my running, and schedule tempo/hills/intervals in. Have been going thru the CR training guides and r4yl to work out something suitable for me (I also need to slot in mtn bike training). Actually having bought a watch with lap/hr splits has been tremendous for tracking my running/riding. It used to be the car dash clock for a approximate total run start/stop time, but I'd usually forget the times. Those times would also be somewhat useless if I stopped mid-route for stretches or other exercises.