Fall Classic training – Week 2 – Race-simulation long run

22/10	XT	60 min yoga class
23/10	6.2 miles	Speedwork: 5x1000m in 5:12/5:23/5:16/5:05/5:09 (1 min)
24/10	3.0 miles	Easy run: avg 10:00 min/mile (treadmill) & yoga class
25/10	6.0 miles	Tempo run (hard): 2.5 miles @ 8:56/8:25/4:03
26/10	-	Rest day
27/10	4.2 miles	Easy run: avg 9:54 min/mile
28/10	9.0 miles	Race-sim long run: 1-6 avg 10:13 min/mile, 7-9 avg 9:00 min/mile
Total	28.4 miles	YTD: 940.9 miles

This Sunday I did my first Race-simulation long run. The instructions were to run 6 miles at a comfortable pace (50-90 seconds slower than half marathon goal pace) and then 3 miles at half marathon goal pace plus 20-30 seconds. So for me that meant 6 miles at 9:30-10:10 min/mile and then 3 miles at 9:00-9:10 min/mile. I was in Victoria this weekend so Matt and I ran most of the run together. We did the first 6 miles at an avg of 10:13 min/mile which was a little slower than the goal but it was a pretty hilly course so that’s understandable. Then we picked up the pace. Ouch. I managed to actually average 9:00 for the last 3 miles but it took a huge effort. My legs felt heavy (I blame the early hills) and it took a lot of concentration to force myself to keep up the pace. I guess it’s good training for last few miles of a race.

Other than that it was a pretty standard week of training. I struggled a bit with Thursday’s tempo run. I think I might have actually been a bit dehydrated! I’m watching my water intake pretty closely now just to be on the safe side. Oh and yoga is kicking my butt. Seriously, I consider myself to be reasonably fit and flexible yet I spend class trying to figure out how it is physically possible for people to be in these poses. My teacher is wonderful though. She calls us all beautiful at least five times per class and I’m a sucker for that. I think I have a lot to gain by being there so I’m going to keep it up. Maybe I’ll even start to improve!