1 June 2010: Track Tuesday

Mileage: 15.5 miles

AM: 3.75 miles PM: 11.75 miles (including track session)

It's Tuesday, so it's track day! I have to admit I again felt fairly tired today and my run to work this morning was a complete plod. I felt slightly better as I ran to the track through Holyrood Park meeting up with Jo along the way. I think this ongoing tiredness is a reflection of my need to have a rest and a break, so as I am sitting here writing this I am starting to think that a running break will be a good thing. I spent most of my jog to Meadowbank telling Jo how worried I was about taking a running break and what that might do to my fitness level and preparation for Amsterdam. She did a reasonable job of reassuring me until saying at the end if it were her she would feel just as worried! 

Track was a good, but tough session tonight. It was broken into 3 sets. Set 1 was 10*300m with 1 minute recovery between reps, we then got a 5 minute rest before we did Set 2, which was simply 1*300m flat out, we were then given another 5 minute rest and then set 3 was 5*300m with 2 minute recovery between efforts, the aim being to run the final five reps quicker by a couple of seconds than the first 10 reps.  

My session went like this:

Set 1: (1) 53 secs (2) 53 secs (3) 50 secs (4) 52 secs (5) 53 secs (6) 53 secs (7) 53 secs (8) 53 secs (9) 52 secs (10) 52 secs

Set 2: (1) 45 secs (PB!)

Set 3: (1) 52 secs (2) 50 secs (3) 51 secs (4) 50 secs (5) 48 secs 

I was pretty pleased with the first 10 reps in Set 1 and to be honest I could have probably done that all night long. I was, however, delighted with Set 2 and my 45 sec 300m. My legs felt tight and tired, but I also felt really strong and relaxed running down the home straight. It also helped having Malcolm breathing down my neck for the entire 300m. As we rounded the bend I could see his shadow in the setting sunlight and I knew he was perilously close to me. It felt good to hold him off and run my fastest ever 300m by a second. Still, I've got some way to go to catch up with Usain Bolt who ran 300m in less than 31 seconds last week!! The final set was a little disappointing, as I would have liked to have done them all in under 50 seconds, but my legs were a little jelly-like and I was definitely tired, but still I did manage to do them quicker than my first set, so overall a good session.

After training, I met up with Dan and we hit the gym for the usual core and strengthening work. Dan had been for a lap of Arthur's Seat, as he continues his recovery from the marathon. Dan also signed up to Amsterdam Marathon yesterday, so at the very least there will be two of us out there. Niamh has also told me she will definitely be going to and several others have said they will do the half. There should be a good crowd from the club going, which will be great.