little baby workout

Three days after the Nahant 30k, I was feeling good and decided to take a shot at a workout on the track. Last week, the XC team ran 3 x (2000/1000/500) n the trails in Gordon Woods, so I thought I would do my own version of that workout on the outdoor surface at the Brigham Athletic facility at Gordon.

The goal: 2000m at T-pace (80s/lap); 1000m at I-pace (74s/lap); 500m at R-pace (68s/lap)
Recoveries: 200m after the 2k, 300m after the 1k, 400m after the 1/2k.

What happened:
I warmed up to the track and then ran 8 laps real easy. My legs still had some lingering stiffness/soreness from the long race on Sunday, but I was confident I could run the 2000m pace pretty comfortably. I wasn't sure how it would feel running faster than that, but I wanted to give it a shot. Changed from my adidas boost into the cadence spike for the first 2000m repeat. Came through the first 200 in 35 (a little quick) and then settled in to 40s 200's. First 2k was comfortably done in 6:43 (5:22 for 1600).

Jogged half the track in just under a minute and started the first 1000 at the 200m mark. Worked hard to keep the pace, but ended up in 3:04 which was great. Then easy jogged three-quarters of a lap before the 500. 500m in 85s - right on goal pace.

Set one, done: 6:43/3:04/85.

Starting the second set, the 2000 felt a little harder, but that was partly because I ran it faster. Got ahead of pace and stayed consistently just under 80s per lap for a 6:36 (5:17 for 1600).

Took a little more time on the 200m recovery (1:05), then right into 1000m #2 in 3:05. Jogged the three-quarters of a lap very slowly (1:44) and barely hung on for an 88sec 500m. Feeling like the recent race and the 80-degree weather (don't get me wrong, I'll take 80 degree days in October any time) were getting the best of me, I grabbed a quick drink and decided to run one more 400 at T-pace and call it a workout. Switched back into my trainers and did an 80s 400, then 3+ miles for a cooldown.

Second set: 6:36/3:05/88.

I'd like to re-visit this workout in a couple weeks with fresher legs and a cooler day and see if I can get all three sets done at goal paces. I need to do more of this type of work training at multiple paces; I have always liked to run repeats at the same pace and get comfortable returning to the same pace after each recovery. It is a bit more challenging and more race-like to have to change paces mid-workout.