Distance: 2400 meters (1.5 miles)
Time: 8.58 minutes
Surface: dirt track
Weather Conditions: cool, overcast, 60s, morning run
Location: Barranco, Lima, Peru
Comments: This was my first day doing speed work. Instead of intense workouts focusing on speed I have decided to implement "long repeats."
These are interval workouts done at race pace or a bit faster. I am going to begin doing a limited number at a faster pace and then extend the distance (and repetions) while trying to fix the speed on my race pace. After I implememnt a few races, I will be better able to guage that and fix my workouts with better accuracy.
So I got up and did a mile warmup jog to the track in Barranco. It's a dirt oval track and cost just one sole, or about 30 cents, for an hour workout. I then did my stretching routine in the infield.
For the workout, I jogged one circut then ran three 800 meter intervals with a 200 meter rest/walk between them. My splits were 3:01, 2:56 and 3:01. In each case, instead of shooting for my 'race pace' I was pushing about as hard as I could for the distance.
I then jogged the mile back home. While it was nice to push myself with some speedwork but the experience was not pleasant. It is clear this is a part of my running I need a LOT of work on.
A couple of local schools use the facility for their gym workouts so there were a lot of kids there. I was worried at first but it turned out good - really took me back to those old track workouts in high school.