Indoor track workout with running group. Workout was supposed to be: 5-8x1000m at 5k race pace. Naturally I was targeting 8 repeats...typical. I lined up with the girls who target a 6:37 min/mi 5k pace. There I was, keeping up with the girls I normally keep up with or am a little faster than. First repeat was kinda tough, but I really am just going by their pace, I'm not sure what that is during the workout. Second repeat, felt ok. After the third repeat, a couple girls mentioned how fast I was running so soon after my marathon. Fourth repeat I tanked. I guess I realized my body didn't feel "normal" on these repeats. I started running in 2009 and I feel like I still don't have a good handle on what I'm doing. My old running group weren't serious runners so there wasn't a lot to learn from them. Up to this point I'm mostly self taught (apart from what I'm learning on this blog). Now I have a coach though, so I asked him if I'm pushing too hard too soon. He said just listen to your body. I felt kinda bummed doing the minimum workout (5 repeats), with the last two at a much slower pace. I am glad I listed to my body though. In hindsight, what was I thinking after a marathon, flu, 2 weeks off and 1 week at recovery pace? Of course I'm not at the same speed I was when I was peaking. I didn't even bother looking at my splits when I get home like I normally do. My splits were: 4:03.1, 4:04.6, 4:05.6, 4:12.5, 4:16 which were 6:31, 6:34, 6:35, 6:47, 6:51 min/mi pace which ended up being an average pace of 6:39 min/mi! Haha! not a PR, but very close to the pace I was targeting! I didn't even think about the fact that those girls were improving while I was recovering. Still not excited about how my legs felt, but pretty stoked I was staying under 7:00 min/mi pace at the end when I thought I was running closer to 7:30/8. :) | 