Fartleks

Sunday, March 9, 2014:

Wind sprints, intervals, tempo running, anaerobic running.  Call it what you want, but I like the Swedish word fartlek, so that’s what I must have done today.  I ran and walked five miles on the YMCA’s square track, 13 laps per mile, run one lap and walk two.  For most of the running laps I ran almost as fast as these old legs would go, sprinting on the short straight parts, cruising through the banked corners, and slowing a little when necessary to pass others safely.  The idea of this fartlek running is to build both endurance and muscle mass at the same time, while taking advantage of the training benefit of last Sunday's marathon.

Ice was inches thick the
 morning after the marathon

I believe I am fully recovered now, from the pneumonia and from last week’s marathon.  This run felt very good today - sprinting is so exhilarating.

Whining:  There is a little pain on the very outside of the right knee, especially now that I’m done.  I suspect the ITB, and I know that I have not been doing the ITB stretches that I should do every day, or at least after every run.  Fixable.

Splits: 11:32, 11:12, 11:11, 11:22, 11:18, total 56:36, average pace 11:19.

Friday, March 7:

Recovery run # 2, second run since the Little Rock Marathon.  Three more miles on the YMCA track, again (as Wednesday) taking 34:58.  No problems.

Splits: 11:46, 11:44, 11:28, 34:58, pace 11:39.

Wednesday, March 5:

Recovery run # 1, first run since the Little Rock Marathon.  Three miles on the YMCA track in 34:58, run/walk 1 to 2.  No problems.

Splits: 11:44, 11:37, 11:37, total 34:58, pace 11:39.