Tuesday 27 April 2010: Track Tuesdays

Mileage: 13.5miles

AM: 3.75miles, PM: 9.75miles (including track session)

Tuesday is track night at Meadowbank. I love track night, as it is often the hardest and fastest training of the week. I only started coming to track at the beginning of last year and the positive effect it has had on my training and racing has been amazing. I certainly think my improved times last year and this have a lot to do with the track sessions. 

My day today started with the usual 3.75miles to work. It was a really nice, sunny morning and as normal by the time I got to work I really wanted to just stride straight past the front door and down the road to some random adventure. I felt fairly good again this morning and my legs were fresh and strong. 

Again, I was on Jack duty today so I had to dash home before training to take him out for a walk. Today, like yesterday and just about any other day when I run straight home, I got a bit carried away with myself. Because the distance is short (just less than 4 miles) and slightly down hill I tend to push it and run fast. I am not sure this is a good thing, as I was a little tired and niggly afterwards. After walking Jack for 50 minutes along the Warriston cycle path I jumped in the car and made my way to Meadowbank. I did some warm up laps with Jo and some stretching before waiting for the rest of the gang to arrive and the session to begin.

Tonight's session was 500m, 400m, 300m, 200m, 100m (each with 60 seconds recovery between). We had 3 sets to do. I am going to run the Kinross 10km on Thursday and although my preperation won't be perfect, due to the high mileage and number of races I have done recently, I am still hoping to get a PB. In fact, I'll be very disappointed if I don't. Therefore I decided to take it easy on my reps and keep something back for later in the week. I did manage this to a point, but realised I was probably running them a little too quick, particurlalry the second set, so I decided to be sensible and halt after the second so as not to burn out or leave myself too much recovery for Thursday.

My times for the first two sets were:

Set 1:

500m - 1min 33secs (4.43min/per/milepace- according to Garmin)

400m - 1min 13secs (4.39m/p/m)

300m - 53 secs (4.28mpm)

200m - 33 secs (4.14mpm)

100m - 15 secs (4.10mpm)

Set 2:

500m - 1min 28secs (4.22mpm)

400m - 1min 09secs (4.25mpm) Slower pace than the previous rep, as I really tried to hold back on this one, It was after this rep I decided to stop after the set. 

300m - 51 secs (4.12mpm)

200m - 31 secs (4.10mpm)

100m - 15 secs (4.10mpm)

After everyone else had finished their third set we went on a warm down jog on the pitch and then followed that up with some exercises and drills to help our strength and running form. I did go to the gym after this to do some core and strengthening work, but as soon as I started I realised I was really tired and rather than push on felt it was best to come home and get some tea. I was very hungry (sorry sliping into food talk again!) and reckoned that would help - it did. Since we're on the subject I polished off more of those cholocates (see yesterday's entry). I am down to the last 6 or 7 now. They're definitely going to be all gone by the end of tomorrow. In fact, the way I am thinking right now they may not see out the night!