Aomori Bay Brdige Fartlek

June 3, 2019

Before teaching a 5-hour seminar I had the practice run below:

<Morning run>

5 K: 25:00.00

And after teaching the seminar I did the following fartlek training over the Aomori Bay Bridge before celebrating the success of the seminar with beer.

<Evening run>

Warm up 750 M: 2:55.08

1.4 K: 6:50.64

1.4 K: 6:08.04

1.5 K: 7:29.57

1.5 K: 6:29.32

1.5 K: 7:25.72

1.5 K: 6:28.73

1.5 K: 8:05.42

1.5 K: 6:24.64

Warm down 900 M: 7:14.21

Sub Total 11.65 K: 1:05:38

Daily Total 16.65: 1:30:38

A full report is coming soon! (Am too exhausted, and hungry also to write anything right now...)

Fartlek: 5 Sets by 650 M @ 2:36 (4:00/K) Intermixed With a 1-Minute Jog Between Sets

May 29, 2019
Warm Up 3.4 K: 20:00.00
1st 650 M: 2:33.33
Jog 200 M: 1:01.08
2nd 650 M: 2:21.93
Jog 200 M: 1:00.81
3rd 650 M: 2:34.77
Jog 200 M: 1:00.14
4th 650 M: 2:32.24
Jog 200 M: 1:00.94
5th 650 M: 2:32.09
Jog 5 K: 30:03.75
1 K: 3:55.39
Total 13.45 K: 1:10:36.47

A week ago when I first gave a go at 650 M repeats @ 2:36 with a minute's rest between sets, I already failed to achieve the target in the second set, and I had no choice but taking a longer rest to sustain the training. But a week later I was able to run all of five sets under the target. I renewed my confidence in human ability to adapt to a stimulus given.

After the fast run session, I cruised along the 6 K shuttle course above in bare feet as I held my shoes in my hands. It was tremendously refreshing to run without shoes at an easy pace especially after the hard and strenuous speed training.

But with 1 K remaining, I remembered the teaching by late Yoshio Koide, and put on a spurt and kicked to the finish.

I ran the last K well under 4:00. 

Running at a faster pace is becoming less difficult. My next question is, "How often can I repeat it?" And also, "How far can I continue to run at the same pace?" My tentative answer is, "At least one time more." In the next fartlek session I will aim for 6 sets. Same pace. Same rest. 

Fartlek: 4 Sets by 650 M @ 2:36 (=4:00/K Pace)

May 22, 2019
650 M: 2:22.74 (target: 2:36=4:00/K)
Active rest (jog): 1:02.83
650 M: 2:41.77 (target: 2:36=4:00/K)
Active rest (jog): 1:30.86
650 M: 2:31.55 (target: 2:36=4:00/K)
Active rest (jog): 1:30.30
650 M: 2:31.55 (target: 2:33.96=4:00/K)
Active rest (jog): 2:02.24
Total 2.6 ~ 3.5 K: 16:16.25

While I was browsing through Facebook, I came across a variety of fast-paced interval sessions called fartlek done by men's marathon world best record holder Eliud Kipchoge and his teammates. I found them inspiring, so I immediately came up with my own training regimen based on my present capacity and goal. It's a 650 M fast run @ 2:36 (4:00/K pace) repeated 15 times.

I wanted to put my ability to the test right away, so as soon as I got home, I changed into my athletic gear and hit the road. 

I skipped warm-up jog, and only did jumping jacks and high knees to warm up. Once it's done, I set off for the first set. It's been a while since I last aimed at 4:00/K pace, so I wasn't sure how fast I was going, but I WAS sure I was going a lot faster than usual. Halfway though, my legs started feeling heavy from oxygen debt. Breathing was hard too. I saw my watch to check my lap. 2:22.74. Almost 14 seconds faster than the target. No wonder it was tough.

I jogged for a minute and ran fast again. This time the lap was  2:41.77. I paid the price for going too fast in the first set. 

When the second set was over, I was so bonked out that I couldn't go on without taking a longer active rest. I jogged a minute and a half, 30 seconds longer than after the previous set. 

Thanks to the longer recovery time, my third lap was 2:31.55, a few seconds under the target. 

Feeling confident that this combination of pace and recovery time may be sustainable, I went for another set to run it in 2:33.96. Again, I made it under the target. 

However, when the fourth set was over, I had to admit to myself that I was burned out for the day. 

Next time I do this training, I will probably work with a 90-second rest right from after the first set to make it sustainable 15 times.