WHAT'S THE WORKOUT?
20 minutes at aerobic threshold pace (slightly slower than marathon pace), then 6 x 40 second hill repeats at 3k effort, and finally 4 x 200 at about 34 seconds.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
This is a classic tune-up workout. With a race in a week, I don't need to get in any more fitness work, but it's a good idea to reinforce some of the positive steps I've made through my training. I'm a very aerobic runner (meaning I respond best to long-distance effort-based work. The 20-minute AT (run near my marathon pace), is enough to stimulate my aerobic fitness without taxing my body too much (in a typical base-building session, the AT would be 60 minutes). The hills and the 200s are very similar in purpose to one another. While the AT targets aerobic endurance, the latter two parts of the workout target the opposite end of the fitness spectrum -- neuromuscular coordination. They reinforce efficient running form (especially the hills) while improving running economy (the amount of energy used to run at a given pace). Put together, these three sessions fine-tune the essential energy systems used in a race.
WHERE DID YOU DO IT?
Being more of a free-form workout, I did this one of the roads around Oakley and Hyde Park. Instead of hopping on the track for the 200s, I did them on a measured loop at the Oakley Playground (mostly because I can't get on my neighborhood track during school hours, which was when I did this one).
HOW'D IT GO?
It went well! One thing I've started doing with these type of workouts is not concerning myself too much with pace and distance, instead trying to focus more on time and effort. I didn't run the AT on a measured course; instead, I just ran for 20 minutes at what felt like an aerobically challenging (but not too taxing) effort. I don't know what pace I ran, but I do know the effort. The same goes for the hills. Distance is less important than the effort level, focusing on maintaining good form (slight forward lean, quick turnover, full extension on the toe-off) at a hard effort up the hill. When it comes to the 200s, I have a bad habit of running them too hard (and burning out of getting injured in the process). So I've actually started running them without a clock so I'm not tempted to race through them. Again, the focus is all back on effort-level: not straining, just smooth and relaxed and fast. If I've done a workout like this right, then instead of feeling totally spent, I'll feel rejuvenated and fast, which is exactly how I felt after it.
Workout of the Week will be taking a brief hiatus for the next couple weeks. I've got an important race coming up (the Indy Monumental Half Marathon), so my workouts will be pretty scaled-down in the lead-up and recovery from the race. But after I recover, I should be back for some sweet workouts targeting the Thanksgiving Day Race.
20 minutes at aerobic threshold pace (slightly slower than marathon pace), then 6 x 40 second hill repeats at 3k effort, and finally 4 x 200 at about 34 seconds.
WHY ARE YOU DOING THIS?
This is a classic tune-up workout. With a race in a week, I don't need to get in any more fitness work, but it's a good idea to reinforce some of the positive steps I've made through my training. I'm a very aerobic runner (meaning I respond best to long-distance effort-based work. The 20-minute AT (run near my marathon pace), is enough to stimulate my aerobic fitness without taxing my body too much (in a typical base-building session, the AT would be 60 minutes). The hills and the 200s are very similar in purpose to one another. While the AT targets aerobic endurance, the latter two parts of the workout target the opposite end of the fitness spectrum -- neuromuscular coordination. They reinforce efficient running form (especially the hills) while improving running economy (the amount of energy used to run at a given pace). Put together, these three sessions fine-tune the essential energy systems used in a race.
WHERE DID YOU DO IT?
Being more of a free-form workout, I did this one of the roads around Oakley and Hyde Park. Instead of hopping on the track for the 200s, I did them on a measured loop at the Oakley Playground (mostly because I can't get on my neighborhood track during school hours, which was when I did this one).
HOW'D IT GO?
It went well! One thing I've started doing with these type of workouts is not concerning myself too much with pace and distance, instead trying to focus more on time and effort. I didn't run the AT on a measured course; instead, I just ran for 20 minutes at what felt like an aerobically challenging (but not too taxing) effort. I don't know what pace I ran, but I do know the effort. The same goes for the hills. Distance is less important than the effort level, focusing on maintaining good form (slight forward lean, quick turnover, full extension on the toe-off) at a hard effort up the hill. When it comes to the 200s, I have a bad habit of running them too hard (and burning out of getting injured in the process). So I've actually started running them without a clock so I'm not tempted to race through them. Again, the focus is all back on effort-level: not straining, just smooth and relaxed and fast. If I've done a workout like this right, then instead of feeling totally spent, I'll feel rejuvenated and fast, which is exactly how I felt after it.
Workout of the Week will be taking a brief hiatus for the next couple weeks. I've got an important race coming up (the Indy Monumental Half Marathon), so my workouts will be pretty scaled-down in the lead-up and recovery from the race. But after I recover, I should be back for some sweet workouts targeting the Thanksgiving Day Race.
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