Stepping Up After Stepping Down

Last week was a step-down week. I always have trouble judging my performance. Because it’s fewer miles should I run them harder? Or should I take advantage of the lower mileage and take it easy for the trials to come? I end up doing something about halfway in-between.

Anyway, my speedwork was probably the highlight of the week:

Intervals: 8 x 400 meters
Goal pace: sub-1:40
Lap 1: 1:38.76
Lap 2: 1:37.57
Lap 3: 1:35.89
Lap 4: 1:36.75
Lap 5: 1:37.27
Lap 6: 1:36.99
Lap 7: 1:36.79
Lap 8: 1:35.16
Average: 1:36.90
Total distance: 5 miles

Followed that up with five-mile tempo runs on Thursday and Saturday at 8:30 pace, and then a 10-miler yesterday at an average 8:47 pace, with the last three miles in 25 minutes.

Now begins the meat of my training – a 46-mile week culminating in a 16-miler on Sunday. Yee-hah!