Tuesday, March 31, 2009

Banner Workout

This morning, I had my best workout. Ever. Ever. Ever. It was incredible. I'll save the superlatives and just lay it out for you with a few editorial comments interjected. Oh, and for the record: Lynn designed it, and only told me pieces of it on a need-to-know basis...as in, the second round of track workouts were a surprise until after we finished road run. If I'd known what awaited me, not sure I would have gotten out of bed today...

Here goes:
2.5-mile warm-up from my house to track

Ran 4 X 1200 (three laps each) with one lap recovery jog in between each one (times: 5:43; 5:32; 5:42; 5:34)

Left track. Ran 5 miles at tempo pace (8:32/mile) on the roads. (This was supposed to be at marathon pace, with Lynn's parting words as we left the track, "We have to keep it to 8:45. No faster!" Uh, yeah, famous last words...by about mile 4 pace became a running joke--pun intended.)

Returned to track and ran two timed miles with one lap recovery jog between each one. Lynn's mantra before we started these miles was T-shirt-worthy: "Anything under 8:00 is great." We then proceeded to run: 7:31 for the first one, 7:14 for the second one. (With Lynn noting after the first timed mile, "You realize you ran that in the exact same time as the timed mile you did about two years ago before Nike Women's Marathon, right?" Oh, you mean the one that made my arm tingle and I was pushing full-bore?!?! And now it's something I can crank out after all that work...and then do another, faster timed mile?)

Total length of run outing, including various slower, cool-down 400s: 15 miles.

Yeah, I'm a proud peacock right about now!

12 comments:

Anonymous said...

Awesome!

(Wish there was a "Likes This" button on blogs too!)

Lynn sounds ... divine!

Good for you!

Tina Mickelson said...

that is amazing! I'll flag this as a must do when I start marathon training this summer!

Jen said...

Amazing workout. I think I see the wisdom in having it be "need to know." You are going to smoke that marathon. Kudos!

silly aunt sarah said...

awesome!! it makes me tired just thinking about it. i would like to try it...one day.

Laura said...

Wow! That is flat out incredible! I think I would have fallen over and died.

fisher cat said...

I'm with Laura - sounds like a knock me over and die workout, so huge congratulations!

I did track today too but it was nothing to your workout. Great work!

marybob143@aol.com said...

Yay for you!!!!! This is so awesome. I hope you write your own marathon training book when your May 26.2 is over...I'm so impressed with the fact that you keep such a great pace!!! I struggle to hold my goal paces, whatever they are...maybe I'm too optimistic & should slow down enough to reach a doable pace...hey, I need my own Olympic lady helping ME!!!! ;O Oh, did you need an ice bath??? What a week of running you've had! You go, girl!

Joanne said...

From Mood Altering to Banner Workout...You have just reassured that it is ok to have a 'bad run' and that it does get better...For us smaller mileage runners, this is more than just a reassurance, it tells us we are not whiners!

Jill said...

That's a GREAT workout, and you rocked out awesome times! I'm gonna try after I get back from Boston (though slower - ha)!!

Carolina John said...

wow, that's cool. what a great workout! i'm going to shoot for one of those workouts today. some intervals, some pacework. I've been really enjoying speedwork these days.

i put some pics of the kids up on my blog today, thought you might be interested.

Kelly(M&M) said...

Wow, wow wow!!! What an incredible workout for you! I am so impressed with your speed and endurance and you are going to rock this marathon!! I will admit that I am a little jealous because my training is not going so well, but I am hoping to get some of your magic to rub off on me!! Congrats!!

What is your weekly mileage?

jamie said...

You completely ROCKED that!! Good for you!!