Beautiful Wonderful Intervals

Monday 8.0 miles/1:11:32/8:57 average pace


Warm up 2.0 miles 20:22 (10:11 average pace)


Interval I .5 mile 3:36 (7:12 pace)

...Recovery interval .15 mile 1:33 (10:20 pace)

Interval II .5 mile 3:30 (7:00 pace)

...Recovery interval .15 mile 1:33 (10:20 pace)

Interval III .5 mile 3:39 (7:18 pace)

...Recovery interval .15 mile 1:28 (9:47 pace)

Interval IV .5 mile 3:26 (6:52 pace)

...Recovery interval .15 mile 1:39 (11:00 pace)


Cool down 3.4 miles 30:46 (9:03 average pace)



Hoooray!!! The track was locked again, so I used the 1/2 mile dirt track, which I actually really like. I did 4 repeats of 1/2 mile, rather than the suggested 5 x 600 meters (ends up being about the same amount of time running my ass off). As I was calculating my goal time for the intervals, I remembered that 1/2 mile VO2 intervals are the famous Yasso 800s!


From what I understand, Bart Yasso suggests doing 800 meter intervals at your goal marathon pace, in minutes. So, for my 3:40:00 goal for the marathon, I would do the intervals in 3:40. He suggests building up to 10 repeats, and I"m only doing 4, but same idea. So 3:40 was my goal, which is a 7:20 pace. This is what I believe to be my VO2 max (not a coincidence, that's the point of Yasso's theory). Anyway, I ran much faster than that!!! :) And it felt GOOD. It was a completely different experience than my first Interval workout a couple weeks ago. I think the fact that it was morning vs. afternoon makes a big difference, I was feeling pretty fresh. Plus the intervals were just a little shorter (.5 mile vs. .75 mile) but I think that made a difference too. I was just feeling really good. :) I know this isn't enough reasoning to change my marathon goal, but I'm feeling really confident that I can run 3:40 in Sacramento. :) YAY!!!