When I first started doing these speed sessions back in October ready for the first few races it was all about squeezing out every last possible 0.1 of a second and setting the best possible time. I ended up with a session average PB of 1.31.2 and got pretty damn close each time I did the session. Back then I was putting absolutely every bit of speed and aggression into them which usual resulted in serious pain and discomfort. Q like to use them as a 2k pace indicator as it gives an idea, maybe minus 1 second or so.
Today however was a completely different ball game. I woke this morning and could tell for the first time this week I was starting to feel the fatigue. Without sounding too negative the morning was spent with a bit of dread looming around the session. I felt tired and lethargic and could have slept for an hour or 2 after lunch given the chance. Instead I chose to get out to the garage and get it done.
The warm up felt nice (that means the session will be bad!) and I had already set a target way way lower than I usual would have. After a tough week before the English I did this session around 1.32.4 and it was pretty hard and heavy. Feeling similar today and having under gone a tough week with 2 brutal max out session since last Sundays 2k in Manchester I set off with the idea of working hard but not prepared to bury myself.
Set one was as expected and it got heavy almost immediately. My target pace was not met and with 300m to go I lowered the target even more. Wanting to evenly pace each set every time I sat up and tried to keep it fluid.
Sets 2 and 3 much the same, almost identical in pace and once again worked hard and kept the average ticking over. In between sets I wasn’t filled with the usual dread and the flopping around that usually happened before the final set. Instead I remained very composed having not pushed to the extreme although in the sets themselves damn the legs were heavy and the lactic was creeping slowly up into the upper body and was trickling into the arms. If at any point I had wanted to squeeze it on, the legs would have almost blown up immediately leaving me with no choice but to survive. I choose to keep it steady.
The final set was made up well before it was rowed. Usually this is where I would have gone off like a rocket, found a rhythm for a minute or so then absolutely buried the final few hundred metres. Today I was not in a position to go anywhere near this type of intensity and instead choose to ride it out keeping the average spot on all the way working hard, legs heavy and burning but able to finish and go straight into a few km cool down.
I am pleased with my decision today, it was still a good session and I worked hard, but working hard and taking it over the edge is a fine line. Today I feel I found that line.
4x750m (3r)
ave/500m 1.32.7 r32/33
- 1.32.8
- 1.32.8
- 1.32.7
- 1.32.6
