Wheeler Farm Loops

All good stuff Jake. Kind of awesome that you were feeling so fluid running 5-10 seconds faster than your old range. Thats a really big improvement!

Thanks. Its clicking and feeling more "natural" at these paces... as it should, I've raced a ton this summer for that exact reason. I need to think of 13.1 @ 4:57 as the goal... so keeping all of my repetition workouts faster than that will help move me in that direction, eventually!

I definitely agree. Practice makes perfect...and the more comfortable you can get at that pace the more likely you are to hold it for 13.1 miles. I think it's a very realistic goal and hopefully the workout today served as a good confidence booster.

http://goo.gl/pEs1Ts

Now I went and looked up the Sammy Sosa Pinterest site (again!).

Try to read the A-Rod story out loud without laughing / crying. It's impossible.

Oops that was me. Andrea doesn't love the onion / arod / Sosa as much as I do.

Jake, I'm always amazed at how fast your legs can propel you! Do you do any running-specific weight-training? Thanks!

somebody get me a barf bag because this workout is sick

Scott - I don't do any specific weight training. The only thing I could even somewhat lump into that category is a couple sets of pushups and pullups/back rows (using a drop down pullup bar w/ handles). My philosophy is to run on a variety of terrain, at a variety of paces, and let the leg muscles adapt in a specific fashion to the demands of running/racing.

There is definitely a benefit to weight training for a lot of athletes. Some do it with success... other avoid it completely and still successful. I think it can be useful if you really know what you are doing. The work has to be functional, and I recognize that I don't have the knowledge to apply some of that ancillary work in the correct manner.

Jake what's your take on diet sodas and the like?

I probably shouldn't drink them. Trying to ween myself off diet dew. Making progress in other areas. New house rule - no more purchasing ice cream... went into effect last night!

I don't think the ice cream rule will last a week. After all, how will you make up for those calories?

Didn't say no ice cream. Just no buying it. If we want it, we have to make it from scratch. That will definitely limit consumption a lot, which is the goal.

Is that why ice cream ended up at my house last night?!? But seriously since it is ask Jake questions day, why cut back on ice cream? Been reading a little too much Michael Pollan :)

You believe it's as simple as calories in vs out or does macro composition make a difference?

Amiee - I could probably cut back on overall calories and see some overall health (and running) benefit. Things like IC aren't really "necessary". I doubt Asbel Kiprop is dipping into the freezer every night :-) Who knows if our efforts will last but it can't hurt to try and clean things up a bit more.

Cam - Its probably a lot more complicated (and in some ways, more simple, if that makes sense) that I really understand. I actually feel uncomfortable giving advice on nutrition because I've never set a really good example to begin with.

I don't think you need to cut back on total calories one bit, maybe just substitute quality for some of that high fructose corn syrup. More beets!

And doing so will automatically reduce overall calories a bit. Less junk. I don't want to start a body image / weight discussion so I'm tapping out here for today :-)

I guess it would take an awful lot of beets to make up for all that ice cream. But seriously... make this - http://www.completelydelicious.com/2011/08/basil-ice-cream.html

Just think, if YOU had a big bag of steroids, you'd have that 1:04. Sure, you'd have a few health/rage issues, but c'mon...1:04! For safety, Andrea could just shelter with loved ones while you're on the cycle.

Yes, yes, and yes. Excellent.

I'm not sure about beets or roids, but I do like that workout you did this morning, Jake.

Seeing more and more sub 5 work Jake. All while running huge mileage weeks. Very good. Diet MD is really good. I wish you the best of luck with weening off. We've done pretty good but will get one every couple of weeks. It tastes even better when you don't drink it all the time.

Great workout. One question--how much recovery between your mile repeats? I have been copycatting you and several others finding threshold workout ideas and stuff. It has led to a hodgepodge of training but is moving in the right direction.

I do these on a 1.3 mile loop, so the recovery is 0.3. If I were doing 1600s on the track, I'd probably take 400m recovery (200m jog if I'm running 1000s or 1200s). But for convenience, I just start/end them all at the same place instead of sticking to the 0.25 b/w reps or less. Just makes it more repeatable when I am using my road loop.