I had been looking forward to this test from the moment Mark had told me I'd be doing benchmark testing this week. As much as I enjoy cycling and running, I consider myself a runner first and foremost. Not a great one, but a runner nonetheless.
I wasn't entirely sure, going into the run test, what to hope for as far as a time or pace. I had been doing an 8:10 pace during fartleks without much in the way of trouble, but that was also with a 1'00" break after every 5 so I figured I'd use that as a starting point. What I probably should have done have done was ask Mark but that crusty independent streak we New Englanders have kept me from even thinking about asking him. D'oh!
Still, I was hoping to break 40'00", although now I wish I'd set the bar higher. A lot higher.
The Workout: in the evening…. 5 mile TT at the track… even pace it… ALL OUT for this distance… WU and CD properly… focus… kill it (get splits please 400's if you can)
The Approach: I took a modified fartlek approach, I didn't want to burn out early and worked in occasional half laps that were easier than my steady pace by about :30/mile. In retrospect, I wish I hadn't done that (should have asked Mark).
The Results:
Splits are per/400 with the net time after
1. 2'00" 2'00"
2. 2'07" 4'07"
3. 2'00" 6'08"
4. 2'00" 8'08"
5. 2'07" 10'15"
6. 2'00" 12'15"
7. 1'56" 14'12"
8. 1'52" 16'04"
9. 2'02" 18'07"
10. 1'56" 20'04"
11. 1'55" 21'59"
12. 1'56" 23'55"
13. 2'03" 25'59"
14. 1'55" 27'54"
15. 1'57" 29'52"
16. 2'05" 31'57"
17. 1'49" 33'46"
18. 1'49" 35'35"
19. 1'45" 37'21"
20. 1'35" 38'56
I'm pretty pleased with the results although, honestly, I think I could have done better, which is a shame. I started a little timid I think, reminding myself not to burn myself out early like I felt I did on the swim. As far as how i felt, my lungs never really got pumping until the last lap and a half though my legs were certainly feeling the burn throughout. I was very pleased with the finish and was stumbling pretty good after the finish but I think I underestimated myself early on.
*Edit: I was a little down on my results by the time I finished my post. Out of curiousity I decided to see how it compared to my last best 5k time. My best 5k was 23'46" a 7'40" pace. The last 5k of my 5 mile run was 23'48"... just under a 7'41" pace. This was after putting in almost 2 miles in front of it. maybe I shouldn't be quite so dissatisfied...
2 comments:
maybe I shouldn't be quite so dissatisfied...
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NO WAY DUDE!!!
Nice job!
No worries on starting out too timid. It's a process of learning how we are going to feel throughout that will come with time. When you have never done something of this nature it is very difficult for you to gauge what you are capable of. Thus cautious and "bringing it" at the end is better than going to hard and dying.
Congrats dude.
NO WAY DUDE is right. You're kicking it man. Just reading about the whole testing process, I totally relate to each experience, and that's just in my everyday training, not to mention the races. It's all a learning experience and fortunately, I get to learn from yours.
Last week I started out on a run and my legs were full of cement. I tried to get warmed up for a mile to no avail and threw in the towel w/ serious frustration. The next day, I knocked out 7miles w/ ease and then over the weekend 12 miles at race pace. My body knows more than my brain and it tells me when it's going to be a slow workout or a fast workout.
Questions, what is WU and CD?
When are you back in Boulder? It'd be cool to run w/ another architect.
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