5K fartlek

I took a rest day yesterday because I had surgery on an ingrown toenail on Wednesday afternoon. It was still very sore and a bit numb yesterday morning, so there was no way the planned 15K was going to happen. That's OK. One missed workout is not a big deal.

Oddly, despite yesterday's rest, my glutes/top of hammies were still fairly sore. I'm not sure what from - probably from Monday's 10K race, but could also be from the elliptical since I haven't done it in a while and I did it on Tuesday & Wednesday. I was grateful for the warm-up to work out some kinks in the legs. I felt SO stiff on the first 400m! I did 1600m in 10:04, with strides, and then did some dynamic flexibility drills, focusing on the ones that stretch out the glutes & hammies.

Oh, before I continue, on my first time around the track I saw this, occupying lanes 1-2.

Um, yeah, right. Whatever...some high school girls (and guys? not sure?) were sleeping on the track. Yup, in lanes 1 & 2. Morons! Fortunately, the rails had been removed from the track and so I was able to cut just inside them in between the inner white line on lane 1 and the steeplechase pit. Very annoying! I should also note that the sprinklers were on at the track, watering the football field, and also watering select parts of lanes 1 & 2. Extra showers! Oh boy! Actually it didn't feel too bad as it was warmish (67F, 19.4C) and I was sweating quite a bit.

I felt looser after the warm-up and stretching, and immediately got started on my workout. The first km felt pretty good and fast, but it was only 5:34. The next 2k felt pretty good, but I wasn't very fast on the fast segments: 500m medium 3:01, 500m fast 2:50, 500m medium 3:04, 500m fast 2:52, to 3K in 17:22. Yeah, I was not fast today. And I was starting to feel it. My legs felt really trashed on the last 2K: 500m medium 3:07, 500m fast 2:52, 500m medium 3:08, 500m fast (really working it here) 2:51. Total 29:22. Not bad for the first speed work in a few weeks, but the first speed workout after a rest is always painful, and this one was no exception. I'd be really nervous about the 10K fartlek I'm to do on Tuesday, except that experience tells me the 2nd one is usually lots better, and I'm still really fit so it should be no problem...I hope.
Garmin connect data here.