[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8IuFl3sMhk&w=480&rel=0]
I decided yesterday that I need to put some structure back in my training, after all, it’s been over 2 weeks since the marathon, and I’m feeling fully recovered.
based on the dates of everything, I’m not due to start the half marathon schedule for a couple of weeks, so I thought it might be useful to do a “dry run” of the first couple of weeks, then start again on july 15th. this gives me a chance to get familiar with some new training concepts; particularly “tempo runs” and interval workouts.
I’ve done intervals before, on the rowing machine and on the treadmill, but I really need to get my training circuit figured out. Get used to which where the 400m stretches are. I’ll be using a 1.6km block near my house – the same one that I used for timed walks in the early days in fact!
This morning I did my first ever tempo run, which is simple enough; a warm-up period running at an easy pace, a period in the middle of running “comfortably hard”, then a cooling off period at an easy pace.
The idea of a tempo run (using the definitions from running.about.com) is to help “develop your anaerobic threshold, which is critical for faster racing”.
For me, it provides some variety, and in layman’s terms pushes the edges of my fitness, which will hopefully translate to being able to run a little faster over longer distances.
03:30 – 5 cal glucose tablet. Glass of water
03:45 – 30 minute tempo run – 10 minutes easy, 15 minutes @ 6:30 per km, 5 minutes easy – 4.05km
04:35 – toasted almond muesli, 2 slices toast with plum jam. orange juice
05:25 – bus, nap
06:15 – coffee, muesli bar
09:00 – black coffee, fruit salad
11:30 – garden salad with warm roast chicken, chick peas, sweet potato & fetta
12:30 – peanuts & rice crackers
13:15 – apple & cranberry muffin
14:00 – red apple
14:15 – bus, nap
15:30 – peri-peri chicken
18:30 – chicken, creamy potato, salad
21:00 – glass milk, bed