Pheidippides’s BodyBlog

Another interval workout yesterday: 3 x (1200,800,400).  I went into it with the goal of holding different paces at the different distances rather than going for one steady pace.  The goal was roughly est. 10K pace (6:40) for 1200, sub-5K pace for 800 (6:20) and near 6:00 pace for 400s.

It helped that there were two guys in the B group this time who were faster than I and really pushed my pace.  I held back a bit on the 1200s but still hit the mark, pretty much, finishing in 5:02, 4:58, and 4:43 (pace ranging from 6:44 to 6:20); in the 800s I ran 3:09, 3:01, and 3:05 (6:20 to 6:04) and in the 400s I ran 1:29, 1:30, and 1:24 (pace ranging from 6:02 to 5:38).  The overall pace wasn’t faster than last week, on average, but I ran the fast intervals faster, and that last interval I ran about as fast as I ever run in these workouts.

Average pace over all distance last week was 6:14 min/mile.  This week, with some longer intervals and a little holding back on those intervals, average pace was 6:20 min/mile.  Total speed interval distance this week:  7200 meters or  about 4.4 miles.

The plan is to run the 4 mile Valentine’s Day race and go for a time of 26 minutes, 6:30 min/mile pace.  I will take it easy with my speed running between now and then — maybe run a few short, very fast speed intervals early next week, but no tempo runs and no long interval workouts between now and the race.

Interestingly my glutes ached after this workout. Running fast seems to work different muscles, especially the glutes, which don’t ache after long slow runs.

My weight yesterday was 172.8 — no improvement — but bodyfat percentage measured at 16.3%, a new low and a bit of a surprise.  It’s possible with all the pushups and fast running workouts I’ve built up a little muscle and lost a bit of fat.

Another solid week of training.  Total running miles:  33.6, about the same as the week before.  It didn’t feel like I was pushing it, either, so I’d say I have a pretty solid foundation at that level after taking time off after the marathon.

Saturday I ran with my running group and did a 4 mile tempo run.  My goal was to maintain 7 min/mile pace, which I did, finishing in 27:55, or 6:59 min/mile pace.   That is my best tempo run, and it may be the fastest I’ve run over that distance, whether in training or in a race.  So I feel like I’m in pretty good shape to shoot for a 6:30 min/mile pace in the 4 mile race I’m going to do in 2 weeks.  We’ll see.  Yesterday I followed my Saturday 4 mile tempo (and 9.3 miles overall) with 11.8 miles of steady, moderate running (about 8:40 min/mile pace).

I raised my weekly pushups total to 214, and managed to hit a new single set high of 40.  I’ll shoot for a little more than that this week.

The bad news: with my focus on running and pushups, I’ve really slacked off concentrating on diet, and I’ve actually put a few pounds back on.  The Super Bowl party yesterday didn’t help.