Well, that workout yesterday was successful. My 6 mile tempo run called for (3-2-1). 3 miles easy, 2 miles and 5K pace + 25-30 seconds, and 1 mile cool down.
I knocked out the "tempo" miles 4 & 5 in 8:33 & 8:25. Since I have not run a 5K in over a decade, I honestly didn't know what pace to shoot for on this workout. Actually, I haven't run a race shorter a half marathon in two or three years. I know, I know...I've read a hundred times that one should race some shorter distances as part of training...even marathon training. Oh well, one more thing I don't do.
Regardless of what pace I needed to run, it felt good and there was still some fuel left...which is still probably a tad fast since I read in a couple of places that 5K + 30 seconds should be somewhere between your 10K and half marathon paces. Using this standard, it was probably a shade too fast.
The good news today is that I feel good today without any soreness. After 15 miles this week already, that's a little shocking. I mentioned my former training schedules in my previous post. I should crack over 30 this week. I honestly believe that in some years of marathon training I only surpassed 30 weekly miles for one or two weeks (these weeks included a 20 mile long run). It sounds impossible, but there might have been a marathon or two in which I never hit 30 miles in a week. Don't believe me? 20 mile long run, and two or three 3 milers during the week. That is 29 miles. No wonder I never got injured due to adding mileage too fast. I simply took my Saturday morning runs slowly from 6 or so miles up to 20.
I don't recommend that version..clearly I'm not a coach. If you think you've hit the wall hard at 18 or 20 miles, I certainly have some stories to match.
Downside of this week was dinner last night. We went out with family to one of our favorite local mexican food joints. I had dreaded it all day because I really didn't want to eat poorly. My weight was just getting down to where I wanted it for the probable increase in training ahead. I HAVE NO WILL POWER. I shall spare the details, but somehow I couldn't find anything sorta healthy or even remotely portioned properly. I had one huge, super honking plate of food and ate most of it. I'm still full.
It was good, but was not worth it.
Big long run tomorrow... a test for what may lie ahead. Should I pick a race and torcher myself again? Man, I just don't know.
Run in Peace, Rest in Grace