Yes, today was a set of intervals. Although I referred to them yesterday as "cruise intervals," Greg McMillan actually refers to them as "tempo intervals" due to their length. Here's how McMillan defines the two:
Tempo Intervals
Tempo Intervals are like fast tempo runs broken into two to four repeats with relatively short recovery jogs. The appropriate race paces for tempo intervals are 10K to 15K race pace and they should last between eight and fifteen minutes. Unlike the previous workouts, Tempo Intervals are the first workouts to allow for a recovery jog between hard efforts. In this case, you jog two to five minutes between each repeat then start the next one.
Cruise Intervals
The Cruise Interval workout was popularized by running coach, Jack Daniels. They, like the other Stamina workouts, are meant to increase your lactate threshold pace. Cruise Intervals are like shorter and slightly more intense tempo intervals. They last three to eight minutes and the pace is between 8K and 12K. Like tempo intervals, they are followed by short recovery jogs (30 seconds to 2 minutes). You'll probably find that it's easy to run too fast on these. The tendency is to treat them like regular long intervals. However, keep it under control and work on a smooth, fast rhythm. Control in training is key to improvement.
Whatever you'd like to call them, my workout went as follows: a one mile warm-up followed by two 12-minute sets of running at my tempo pace (6:30/mile), with two minutes of running at my easy pace in-between, followed by a little over an hour of easy running. Total distance: thirteen miles.
Overall the workout felt pretty good. I could tell that I was working a little harder during the second interval. I assume that this was primarily because this was my first attempt at the twelve minute length at tempo pace (I have run probably two workouts in the last few weeks with six minutes at tempo pace prior to today). My legs were also a little wobbly for the first few minutes of my 60 minute recovery run, but that feeling disappeared rather quickly.
One final note - the scale said 171 pounds this afternoon.
Tempo Intervals
Tempo Intervals are like fast tempo runs broken into two to four repeats with relatively short recovery jogs. The appropriate race paces for tempo intervals are 10K to 15K race pace and they should last between eight and fifteen minutes. Unlike the previous workouts, Tempo Intervals are the first workouts to allow for a recovery jog between hard efforts. In this case, you jog two to five minutes between each repeat then start the next one.
Cruise Intervals
The Cruise Interval workout was popularized by running coach, Jack Daniels. They, like the other Stamina workouts, are meant to increase your lactate threshold pace. Cruise Intervals are like shorter and slightly more intense tempo intervals. They last three to eight minutes and the pace is between 8K and 12K. Like tempo intervals, they are followed by short recovery jogs (30 seconds to 2 minutes). You'll probably find that it's easy to run too fast on these. The tendency is to treat them like regular long intervals. However, keep it under control and work on a smooth, fast rhythm. Control in training is key to improvement.
Whatever you'd like to call them, my workout went as follows: a one mile warm-up followed by two 12-minute sets of running at my tempo pace (6:30/mile), with two minutes of running at my easy pace in-between, followed by a little over an hour of easy running. Total distance: thirteen miles.
Overall the workout felt pretty good. I could tell that I was working a little harder during the second interval. I assume that this was primarily because this was my first attempt at the twelve minute length at tempo pace (I have run probably two workouts in the last few weeks with six minutes at tempo pace prior to today). My legs were also a little wobbly for the first few minutes of my 60 minute recovery run, but that feeling disappeared rather quickly.
One final note - the scale said 171 pounds this afternoon.
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3 comments:
That workout will get you in marathon shape right quick. It'll be interesting to see how that workout progresses over the course of the training cycle.
I love that workout too. Of course I am mourning the fact that I am not running workouts like that, but soon enough. Enjoy! I hope you have some reasonable temps this weekend!
Thanks -
That workout isn't much fun while you're running it, but it feels pretty rewarding afterward.
Mindi - you'll be back there soon. You're just ramping up your mileage, right?
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