5K Training and Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas!  I wish anyone reading this a splendid weekend with family and friends.

We certainly aren’t experiencing the summer weather Christmas we had last year in Boulder.  I like having snow on Christmas though, it feels cooler.

On the running note, lately I’ve been doing a 5K training block.  Which has been enjoyable.  But I have definitely felt the challenge of getting the speed work incorporated back in.  I’m not at the place where doing 70 second quarters feels all that doable like I was last summer.

But I set a goal of doing a 16:30 5K sometime and so have been gearing my training around that.

Here are my workouts for the past few weeks since the Turkey Day 5K.

• week 1: I took a week of just easy running, 56 miles and no workouts.
• week 2: 65 miles
  • workout 1: 5 miles easy, 13 x 400 m – between 78-76 on each, with 50-55 sec active recovery, 2 miles easy
  • workout 2: 4 miles easy, 4 mile tempo in 23:53, 4.5 miles easy
• week 3: 46 miles – lower mileage, went skiing instead of running on Sat.  Still had 1 good workout though.
  • workout 1: 6 x 1/2 mile, plus 2 x 600m – 2:35, 2:36, 2:38, 2:38, 2:40, 2:40 for the 800′s.  Hit the splits really evenly considering the last 3 were up hill.  Felt good.  Did the workout with Schlarb on the bike path, great to have some fast company for a workout for a change.  It helped a lot.
• This week: Will end with about 65 miles after a two hour run tomorrow.
  • workout 1: 4 miles easy, 2 miles @6:50 pace up hill, 1 mile easy, 3 miles @6:15 ish pace.  2 miles easy.  Not feeling amazing today, was going to do a 6 mile tempo, but that’s what I had in me.
  • workout 2: Snow dump Thursday = Treadmill intervals!  4 miles easy, 5 x 1000 M in 3:20 (5:21/mile – goal 5K pace) with 2 min rest, 2 miles easy.  Lost 4 pounds of sweat in 10 miles of running – 1 hr 11 min total.

Who else is psyched for Christmas?  My kids are 3, 5, and 7.5 and it would be impossible not to be psyched about it with them around.  I think I may be more stoked than them, just to be able to soak in their joy.