4 x 2000m - chicken

The marathon training plan called for 4 x 1500m so that was decided. I like the marathon training plan as I don't have to make any decisions about the training that I have to do for the day. Everything is decided for me and written down in ink on paper. There is a sort of satisfying finality to it all, something immuable that can't be modified : it is on the plan so it is final.

I texted Nico just to make sure that he was doing the same workout. He was and so we had an agreement to run together. At the track. At the club. Final.

I was able to get out of work early which was a miracle in itself. 3 of my managers off sick (from a 6 manager team), the ERP went down during the night, the accounts and sales accounts department were technically unemployed - I just had to get out. I turned up at the club early and got changed in a relaxed manner. I half listened to the prep talk by Miguel and talked to Nico about the training session. I envisaged the 1500m in 5:50 - 5:55 (just under 4:00/km pace). He envisaged them in 5:15 or less (3:30 pace) - we had a problem. Fred was running 4x2000m off 400m recovery at just under 4:00/km pace. I had a solution.

So I chickened out of the session with Nico. I just couldn't see the point in following him around the track at a pace that I couldn't follow, exhausting myself and becoming utterly demoralised. Running with Fred was a far more interesting prospect even if it involved increasing the mileage over the initial plan. I was on.

We warmed up in the forest quickly witht the rest of the group and then headed back to the track. A quick warm up at the track doing a few straight lines and then we were off. We picked up Thierry who was also interested in some intervals and not up to running 1500's with Nico either. I set off in the lead and very soon Thierry was on my shoulder with Fred a few metres behind. I felt very relaxed and easy, pleased to be at the front and coping with the intervals easily. I would listen to Thierry's breathing, knowing that he was suffering far more than I was, which was normal as he's only just coming back from a urinary infection and a heavy dose of antibiotics.

The same situation for the second interval while Nico and Gérald would pass us doing their 1500m and 1000m intervals respectively. Fred a few seconds behind, looking as though he was struggling with the pace. In the third interval Fred was right with us although we were were running slightly faster than before. And then the final interval where Thierry dropped out after 1200m and I pushed the pace with 600m to go. Fred passed me with 400m to go and I overtook him again with 300m to go before launching into a sprint from 200m out. I could here him behind and we finished together as he caught me up and drew alongside down the final straight.

And the times ...

7:35, 7:34, 7:31 and 7:03. Really pleased with this performance as I felt good all of the way around off a 400m or 3' recovery. Last kilometre was run in around 3:20.

Just under 15km all up in 1:12. Great session but I'm sure that I'll pay for this tomorrow morning.