Wednesday, April 20, 2011

5x800m at the track - fastest ever!

Before I get to today's workout, last night I did Pilates at the gym. The figure skating championships are over, so it's back to regular classes. We had the Saturday instructor, and so the workout wasn't quite as hard, but it was still good. Some good core stuff for sure!

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This morning I checked the weather before heading to the track. The websites were all screwy! They said it was 176F (80C)! Not quite...in actuality, it was 37F by my thermometer at the house and 38F by my car thermometer (about 3C). It was calm and felt pretty good out there, and it was not raining :).

I wore tights and a long-sleeved shirt with gloves and an ear-warmer. Underneath I had my new shorts (half-tights) and singlet from USATF - the ones I plan to wear for World Masters. I just got the singlet size exchanged and it fits, so I thought I'd make sure it didn't chafe or anything. So far, so good. It was comfortable. The half tights were great - first set I've ever owned that does NOT ride up on me at all. They have some rubbery thing on the inside of the bottom of the shorts so they STAY put.

I warmed up for 1600m in 9:50 (fast!) but with ave HR of 138. I was thinking it would be a good day. I did my dynamic flexibility drills and got started on the workout. I thought perhaps if I was really fast I might do these in 4:20. That turned out to be a bit over-ambitious, but close! I did the first one in 4:19, then the subsequent 800s in 4:22, 4:23, 4:23, and 4:24. The last one I was really working it and hoped it would be faster, but my legs were really rubbery by the end. My muscles were so fatigued.

The amazing thing was that my heart rate recovered SO well. It was 95 during the first 2 min rest, and then got down to 100-105 during all of the other 2 min rests. Pretty good!!! My average HR on the intervals was 155-162, though it seemed higher to me...by the end of each it was in the mid-upper 160s so I think I worked it good and hard.

Seriously, the fastest set of 800s I have done before this was 4:28-4:32 range. I'm VERY happy with this workout and feel like things are going well.

***

After that I went to the gym and did weight training/PT for my foot. I did chest fly machine (70lb/3x12)/balance L foot on dyna disc and bounce ball; calf raises (one legged, body weight, 3x15 each side)/row machine (70 lb, 3x12); military press standing on dyna disc w/L foot only (hard! 10-12 lb ea arm, 3x12)/triceps with rope (25 lb, 2x12; last set did 10 lb dumbbell skull crushers instead - fatigued!). Then I did 3 min on the treadmill to test my shorts again without the tights on. I did 2 min at 5.8 mph (6:30/km approx) then did 1 min at 6.5 mph. They stayed put! :) Pictures to follow later in the day of my new outfits for WMA.

Garmin connect data here.

1 comment:

Nyle said...

They were good and fast 800's. Awesome work!!! I know that rubbery leg feeling. :)

You are certainly getting fitter and fitter, its great to see.