Speed Kills

Thur: 8/20/09
AM: 3.5 w/u - last mile @ 5:25
4 x 32/42 per 200 meters (31.2, 43.3, 31.2, 41.9, 31.7, 42.0, 31.4, 42.3) = 4:55.3 mile
6 min rest
200 (28.9) 400 (62.8) 600 (1:40) 400 (64.1) 200 (31.3) w/3:15-3:45 sec rest
5 min rest
4 x 32/42 per 200 meters (32.5, 43.5, 32.1, 43.2, 32.2, 43.4, 31.8, 43.4) = 5:02 mile
2.5 c/d
Total = 9 miles

This workout was way harder than I predicted, mainly because my speed and speed endurance right now is non-existent. Looking at the sprint times is appalling seeing as I was running ALL OUT to hit them. Nevertheless, the work is obviously what I needed. As I've said to many athletes I coach; we do workouts to improve fitness, not to see how good we are. Leave that to the races. I have to heed my own advice on this one. The weather was once again brutal - 77 degrees, 83% humidity and a dew point at 72. Luckily, I brought two bottles of water with me and over the course of the workout poured both of them on myself.

I was rigging pretty hard during the 400 and 600 parts of this workout. When I did the 600 in 1:40 I thought about pulling the plug but took an extra rest and decided to man up. I am glad I did, not that I felt any better.

The 32/42 thing is a play on Bowerman's infamous 30/40. I knew the purpose was to run 30/40 as long as you could and that I wouldn't be able to do one of them so I slowed it down. I was surprised that I was able to get the last set done as I had pretty much written it off mid workout. I decided to just do one at a time. This was really really tough even given my slower standards. Galen Rupp once ran 24 laps at 30/40. After doing this workout for myself, that is pretty amazing.

PM: 4 mile run (30:00)
Felt pretty crappy and tired on this one, not surprised. Good little shakeout in the Balto furnace.