Taper!

The taper did sneak on me this time round. I lowered my mileage two weeks ago, not because I was tapering for the marathon but because I inserted three easy days before the race. Then I added another three easy days after the race, and all of a sudden my mileage had already decreased sufficiently for the beginning of a taper, without me even realising it. So, I guess I’m already in the middle of the taper, but since there are still a few tough workouts to be done, albeit at shorter mileage, I’m not yet crawling the walls.

Mike’s Mystery Coach had mentioned the need for “sharper (faster than race pace) speed workouts that are hard but not exhausting” in this phase of training, so I opted for a set of 800s, and to ensure that I got sufficient recovery I decided to rest for 800 between the intervals, i.e. I jogged back to the start line after each repeat. I used the same stretch of road as for my last attempt at 800s. I tried to measure it in google maps, and apparently it’s about 25 meters long, but it’s difficult to be accurate because that part of road is under cloud cover and I have to guess where exactly the end point is. Never mind, in order to be able to compare this and future workouts I’ll stick with that route.

After warming up I started with the first repeat and tried to concentrate on good form, running relaxed rather than pushing too hard and keep the concentration going. After 300 meters the pain started and I thought this would be embarrassingly slow.

2:59

Nice! I jogged back, but feared that I hadn’t recovered fully when the HR was still around 135 at the start of the next run. The pain started even earlier. I guess I had pushed too hard on the first repeat. I remember the thoughts exactly. This one will be embarrassingly slow, and I’ll have to confess about yet another botched workout in the blog.

2:57

Nicer. Maybe this is working after all. I jogged back, and again the HR was in the same territory. In fact, the HR returned to 133-137 on all the rest periods, except the last one when I didn’t check. The legs grew heavier with that repeat, and I wondered if I would have to call it a day after only 3.

2:59

This is turning into a nice workout! However, the legs were definitely starting to tire at that stage. I’ll try another one and see how that goes.

3:04

Yes, definitely getting tired. I could have left it at that, but thought I might have another good one in me. However, as soon as I started it, I knew it wouldn’t be great; from the first step I was unable to relax properly, it was a laboured effort from the word go, and pushing the hips forward, lifting the knees and swinging the arms didn’t seem to do much good.

3:06.

and HOK time. Definitely had enough by now. Better call it a day.

I relaxed sufficiently at the cooldown to stop by the side of the road for 5 minutes to pick the blackberries that had been tempting me not just today but for weeks! Instant refuelling, full with vitamins and nutrients. Delicious! There’s definitely something to be said about running in the country side. I wouldn't have got that at the side of your average junior high track.

I was definitely pleased with that (read: “I have never run so fast before in my entire life”). When I tried to run my last set of 800s, several weeks ago, the fastest one had been 3:04, and to cut 7 seconds of that time is a very nice improvement indeed, albeit with longer rest intervals. Wednesday was an easy recovery effort, slightly hampered by the fact that it was raining, very cold and quite windy. It wasn’t quite as bad as some of the runs from last winter, but nature is turning the screw. I wore my gloves for the last 2 days, and was glad that I hadn’t forgotten about them. It doesn’t look like it’s going to get better any time soon. Better get that winter gear ready.

18 Sep

8 miles, 1:05:38, incl. 5x800(800) 2:59, 2:57, 2:59, 3:04, 3:06

19 Sep

10 miles, 1:24:43, 8:28 pace, HR 137