3 x 2000m

The marathon training plan for today stated 3 x 2000m in 8m20 off 2' recovery. That sounded simple enough bu this plan was designed for a 3hour marathon. My own aim is faster than this and I thought that if I could bring the time down to 7:45 for each 2km then I wouldn't be doing badly.

The aim on these sessions now is to not bust a gut and treat them as VO max or lactic sessions. We're building up to the marathon  now which is in just under 3 weeks. The aim is to increase the mileage and get the body used to sustained speed with shorter recvoeries, hence the 2' recovery off 2k. When I did this session last year in preparation for the Toulouse marathon, I was aiming for 8' intervals for 2k and I achieved a little better. This time, I feel that I'm in even better shape and wanted to see what would happen but without putting too much pressure on me for the run.

I set off and already felt better than yesterday with the energy having returned to my legs. I figures that I could lengthen the warm-up slightly to just under 3km and still fit the intervals into my usual training route around Maisons Laffitte. I ran down to just in front of the castle and started. I pushed the pace form the begining, notably because I started on a slight downhill section on purpose. This soon ended and I found myself dozing off on the rhythm after about 1km and I had to wake myself up to boost the speed a little towards the end. Not a bad start finishing this interval in 7:40.

2 minutes recovery go by very quickly and it was all too soon before the Garmin was agressing me with a frantic beeping and I had to set off again. I felt easier on this interval right from the start and I was able to maintain my speed better over the distance. It helped to run into the park in Maisons Laffitte which is my favourite section of my morning runs and I completed the 2k down the track towards the castle - 7:24 for this interval and an improvement over the first.

One to go now and I put in another burst after what felt like an extremely short 2' recovery. My legs began tiring towards the end and I was glad that I wasn't running another interval after this one. I pushed the pace a little to finish and completed the last interval in 7:26. So 2 of the 3 under 7:30 my usual target for the 3-2-1 off 2' recovery. Things are going well.

12.8km all up in 56:14 so even the total time was fast with my recovery going well and able to run the last section home at a decent pace. Average pace over the run 4:24.