Week 7 Quality Workouts

Q1- Sunday TLT. My first ever go at the TLT run. I have done a couple TL runs leading up to this, but I have never done a tempo run 17 miles deep. It was pretty tough. I did a 3 mile warm-up which included some strides. Then, I did 4 x mile @ "Tempo" pace (5:41, 5:42, 5:48, 5:46) w/60s rest between each. After that I did 9.5 miles easy @ 7:10 pace, then I did a 5k tempo run @ 6:00 pc, and followed that with a 2-mile cool-down. Justin paced me through the 5:48, which was helpful. We hit the 9.5 easy miles together, then he went ahead and waited for me to come through @ 2 miles of my tempo run. It was good to have company. This was a real tough day for me, and was the closest I have ever felt to the pain of an actual marathon. My legs were hating me when I got done with this. I ran the cruise intervals a bit quick, and I am surprised that I was still able to run the 5k tempo run @ 6:00 pace after all that. A few easy days then more tempo running, my favorite type of hard running.

Q2- Friday tempo workout- Of course it wouldn't be a normal week of training unless Mother Nature screwed up the day I was supposed to do a workout. That happened to be today, and it forced me inside to the treadmill, again. I probably could have made it outside, but I didn't really feel like dealing with rain and wind while trying to run consistent tempo paces. The workout was 4 x 2 miles w/2:00 rest between each, with a 3-mile warm-up and a 2+ mile cool-down. I got in 14+ miles all together. I didn't force the tempo splits, because I have a 13 mile Marathon Pace run for Sunday which is more important to me than this workout was. I didn't feel like I had gone to the well at all on this one, which is exactly what I was looking for. My splits were (11:52, 11:52, 11:52, 11:48) . I ran 5:56 for each mile except the very last one which I did in 5:52. I took it very easy during the 2:00 rest periods and walked for the first minute before jogging and then building back to tempo pace at the 2:00 mark. I am pleased with the workout. Not much longer and I should be doing most of them outside.