Interval Day!

Thursday, March 01, 2012 · Mike Davis

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

Interval Day!

Today was to be my first real interval challenge and I was anxious as to how it would go. Planning ahead, I saw a great window of opportunity to run at 11:00 and have some nice conditions. 11:00 came and sure enough, it was ideal running weather. Kathy joined me for the first mile and I would take off and start my mile intervals at that point. My plan was one easy warm up mile, three, one mile intervals with 800 recoveries between, finishing up with a mile of warm down. My mile splits were to be around 7:43 pace, a bit faster than I have been running, but not quite as fast as I believe I’m capable. The goal is to stay in that pace range and not try and get faster and definitely not slower.

I did a fair amount of lunges prior to taking off and my legs seemed rested from my runs Sunday and Monday, so mentally I was ready. We had a nice relaxed run for our first mile, then I bid Kathy so long and I picked up my pace for my first interval. After about 100 yards I looked at my Garmin and good grief I was at a 6:55 pace. Slow the heck down!! I can’t say I know what a 7:43 pace feels like, so I had to keep checking my Garmin to make sure I stayed in range. I may jumped up to 8 minute pace and down to 7 minute pace, but I was able to keep it around 7:30. I didn’t feel like I was pushing myself to max effort and that’s a good thing. As I finished that first mile interval, my time was 7:38, not bad.

I slowed down to do my 800 recovery and then I was off my second interval. Nothing much different than my first, breathing a bit harder, but not going all out. My second interval clocked in at 7:34. Again faster than 7:43, but it’s hard to keep your pace exact. I guess it would be great if I could gage my pace better, but I’m not very good at it. After my 800 recovery, I set off on my third and final interval. My pace was a bit more up and down, but I corrected it and finished at 7:34.

Finished my run with a 1.2 mile warm down run and felt like I nailed today’s workout! I would like to have been closer to 7:43, but as I said that can be difficult. Did some nice stretching and went back to work. Nice to have that done!

Now I have an easy 5 somehow tomorrow and 14 on Saturday. Hopefully I’m moving back in the right direction.

Be well!