OK, so I ran my first "real" VO2 max workout today. In the past (before I started actually reading about running) I would do some 400s and call it a day. Now that I know better (and that I'm prepping to start the Ptizinger 55mpw AM program), I decided to run some 1Ks to see how things go. My thought was to do 3 x 1K in 3:55 with 3 minutes of recovery (shuffle jog) and as I get more comfortable with this to decrease to recovery time by about 15 seconds in successive workouts until I get down to 2 minutes, then add another rep until I get to 5K total, then start decreasing the interval time. My 5K PR is 20:32 but that was in the middle of a 35 mile week with no taper and a 13 mile long run a few days prior. As such, I have a feeling that I could've shaved a couple more seconds off my PR had I actually been preparing for THAT race.
As for the workout, it went well: 3:56, 3:55, 3:55 (not to mention that I did about 500m on the first rep when I realized that my stopwatch didn't start, so I just stopped and jogged the rest to recover and get my HR back down to normal). On, the last rep I felt like I was going to drop dead. As you can see, I managed to hit my goal time (I'm VERY VERY shocked at the consistancy of my times, since this was done on a straight stretch of road and not on a track), but how hard should the last rep feel? I honestly think that I pushed past a barrier that I didn't think I could and as a result, may start to see my times drop further (if that makes any sense).
So should the last rep hurt that bad? I just had to steel my mind (for almost the entire interval) and try to go to my "Happy Place." Other than that, how about the rest of the workout, does it (and my plan for progession with this particular workout) look?
Thanks for reading this excessively long post and for any insight
Alex
------------------
"De Oppresso Liber"
"You can't burn out if you've never caught fire!"
My Profile[/URL" target="_blank">
As for the workout, it went well: 3:56, 3:55, 3:55 (not to mention that I did about 500m on the first rep when I realized that my stopwatch didn't start, so I just stopped and jogged the rest to recover and get my HR back down to normal). On, the last rep I felt like I was going to drop dead. As you can see, I managed to hit my goal time (I'm VERY VERY shocked at the consistancy of my times, since this was done on a straight stretch of road and not on a track), but how hard should the last rep feel? I honestly think that I pushed past a barrier that I didn't think I could and as a result, may start to see my times drop further (if that makes any sense).
So should the last rep hurt that bad? I just had to steel my mind (for almost the entire interval) and try to go to my "Happy Place." Other than that, how about the rest of the workout, does it (and my plan for progession with this particular workout) look?
Thanks for reading this excessively long post and for any insight
Alex
------------------
"De Oppresso Liber"
"You can't burn out if you've never caught fire!"
My Profile[/URL" target="_blank">
