Speed Work…. BOOOOOO.
It’s official. I’m so immersed in the digital age that I really wanted to put a thumbs down emoji at the end of that title.
No, but really. Really, about the thumbs down, and really about a bad day of speed work.
Workout
Today we were supposed to run 6-8 x 800m at some crazy pace that I clearly couldn’t hack. Apparently according to Angie, if I want to run a 3-hour marathon, I should be working toward running these 800s at 2 min. 49 sec. a pop. HAH. HILARRRRRIOUS.
Splits (800m or .5miles) were as follows:
1 – 2:52
2 – 3:00
3 – 3:05
4 – 2:58
5 – 3:13
6 – 3:10
7 – 3:12
8 – 3:13
Total Distance – 10 miles
Total Time – 1:18:11
Avg. Pace – 7:48mm
I mean, hashtag woof. I.e. #WOOF.
Completely got to myself with my mental game today. For whatever reason, I thought I was supposed to be shooting for 2:59 laps. So, when my first one was 2:52 and my second was 3:00, I was pretty stoked. Then, I realized I was supposed to be shooting for 2:49. Hashtag doomed.
I totally and completely fell apart after that, mentally, which lead to my physical demise. 2:58 was the best I pulled off after that, mainly because I just stopped trying. I was so angry at myself for not being able to get anywhere near 2:49 that I just quiiiiiiit.
And then I wiped out.
Yeah basically that’s what it felt like. Right after the recovery of lap 6. It seemed about right for the situation of the day.
I really wanted to quit after that. I mean, since I wasn’t doing the workout right, what was the point of doing it at all? But I knew I’d be even angrier at myself if I quit, so I banged out two more 3:13s or some BS like that. Then I ran 3 more miles.
Ah well. It might be time for a brief sabbatical and reevaluation of my goals. I am starting to resent running, and I don’t want to do that. Maybe the expectation of cutting 9 minutes off of a marathon in 6 months is just too high. Maybe I’m just bad at the 800s. MAYBE I should realize that in the past six days (since Saturday) I’ve run 73.5 miles, which is more miles than I’ve ever run in a SEVEN-day stretch, let alone a SIX-day stretch. So, there’s that.
Also, I forgot my watch today. Huge thanks to Mike for loaning me his. He didn’t need it on account of the smoked the 800s at like 2:30-2:40 per lap. I told him after the sixth rep that I wished I just didn’t have a watch today, although I was truly appreciative of him lending me his.
I am about to fall into an Arctic Zero + PB2 coma. Have a great night! TGIFT!