Mile Repeats Fail

Recap of the last few days...

Friday - heavy hill intervals; very hard run
Saturday - no run; total rest
Sunday - long run of 14 miles at around marathon pace; hard at the end
Monday - didn't run, swam instead
Tuesday - light run, some leg strength work

So, I would have expected that I could handle a hard running workout today.

NOT!

I set out to do a Fartlek, as prescribed by "Coach" Mike, but instead decided to do some mile repeats on the treadmill.  I figured I would attempt 4 at goal 5K pace or better.  Yes, I'm training for the marathon, but I want to improve my speed and aerobic capacity at 5K distance too.  I'm running out of time if I want to break 21 minutes in the 5K before I turn 50.

I managed to do the first mile in 6:40, which is good.  But I was heaving (even though HR didn't seem to be all that bad) and my leg lifters were burning.  I took a whole 4 minutes to recover and get my wind back.  I started the 2nd repeat on a slightly reduced 6:45 pace, but could only hack it for a quarter.  I spent the rest of the mile gutting it out, fluctuating between 8 and 7-minute pace.  After another 4 minute rest, I did the 3rd at a modest 7:30 pace, ultimately finishing in 7:20.

I took a long time to get my energy back for the final mile.  I was almost fully recovered by the time I started the 4th repeat.  I attacked this one at 5K pace and was holding up until the final 200m when my iPod (which I wasn't listening to but just using as a Nike+ timer), fell off the little shelf on the treadmill, landed on the belt  and shot down the back of the treadmill belt.  I hit the emergency stop button, but I shouldn't have.  It was a rash reaction and I only had 30-40 seconds to go.  My iPod would've been fine on the ground for that short of a time.

But I hit the panic button and the workout was over.  Very disappointing.  I just didn't have "it" today.  I'm blaming the leg workout yesterday.  Until I adapt, I don't want my leg strength training recovery to fall on the same day as a hard run.

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I started the Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred program last night.  I'm a little shy about admitting that since it's obviously targeted toward women.  I rented the DVD from the library to see what the deal was.  It's not super hard.  Yet.  Did level I last night.  Level II tonight, and I'll keep cycling through the 3 levels to keep it interesting.