Sunday: much needed rest day.
***
Monday: 8x1km with 2' rest was the scheduled workout.
Despite the title of this post, I'm not really concerned about the fact that this workout ended poorly. It started off VERY well, and I felt very good. I think I'm in top form, and the only reason things went bad today was that it was so hot. And for once, that is not bothering me at all mentally! I know I'm capable of fast times right now, and the first intervals show that. I was feeling good and moving well until I got overheated.
The weather: yeah, not good. One website said it was 77F (25C), and another said 79F (26C) when I left my house to head to the track. It wasn't very humid - about 40%? - but it felt oppressive to me anyway. It was overcast, and any time it's overcast here in the morning, it's generally on the humid side. Regardless, it was not ideal weather for a track workout, even at 6:30 am.
My calves were VERY sore from Saturday's 32km both last night and this morning. They felt SO tight, like piano strings. I was worried enough about it to ask my coach if he thought I was OK; I guess I knew I probably was but just wanted some reassurance (in hindsight I'm sorry I asked him about it because he has better things to do right now than deal with a neurotic master's walker who is a bit sore; he was kind and reassured me but I feel bad for bugging him about something stupid). I massaged them with the stick, and it helped, but I was pretty concerned when I could barely walk from my bed to the bathroom this morning.
Fortunately, as is usually the case with sore muscles, moving a bit loosens them up and then they function all right. When I got to the track to do the warm-up I was surprised that they didn't hurt much while racewalking. I warmed up well, doing 9:37 for 1600m with some nice fast 100m strides.
I was optimistic now and actually feeling great. I did my dynamic stretching, including some for my calves, and got started. I left 2 water bottles at the 200m marks so I'd have one on whichever side I ended up on. I might get hot, but I'd be hydrated!
Remembering that I was to do eight of these, I started off at what felt to be a conservative pace. Every 100m I checked my watch and WOW was I going fast! I was then a bit concerned that it was too fast, but it felt fine. Then I was worried my form was bad but I did a head to toe check and it felt fine too. Knees were straight, butt tucked under, arms not going sideways, etc. I felt relaxed and strong...for four repeats: 5:21.7, 5:22.8, 5:21.7, 5:21.1. After the 3rd and 4th ones I noticed I was pretty hot (face felt red), but I drank a lot and just focused on the task at hand. Then all of a sudden, during the 5th interval, everything felt wrong. I just tightened up and couldn't relax, and my pace was crazy slow. Arrrrgh! The heat was getting to me so early :(. Actually, it was getting to me at the same point it got to me last time I did intervals - about 5km in. I thought maybe doing 1km intervals would help me stay cooler, but it was just too hot today for me to stay cool. The 5th interval was 5:37.9 - and the 500m splits are more telling - 2:46 and 2:52. I slowed a LOT on that 2nd 500m. I was cooked, literally.
Since I have other important workouts this week, I knew it was time to throw in the towel. At least I got in some good fast speed work, even if it wasn't as long as it could be. No matter. I will get in the endurance work on Thursday (12k fartlek) and Saturday (30km). For now, this was enough. If it wasn't enough, it will have to be. I'm in great shape, but my body just doesn't like this heat.
Garmin data here.
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