10 x 400m

This session was the one that I thought would be easy last year when I was preparing for Florence. I thought then that I should be running these in 1:25 or 10 seconds per rep faster than the 3 hour marathon plan. I've revisd my opinion since then and this time I set out with more modest objectives, thinking that if I managed all under 1:30 then I'd be doing alright.

I ran down to the roundabout at Maisons Laffitte and I was so happy running at recovery speed, daydreaming at 6:00am that I almost forgot to start. I woke with a start and began the first interval. The impression wasn't good and this felt like hard work. I think that I probably preserved myself a little with the first few intervals and it was only towards the end, when I was still suffering after a 30 second recovery that I ran better. They went as follows:

1:27, 1:27, 1:22, 1:24, 1:22, 1:23, 1:24, 1:23, 1:20, 1:20

This was a a vast improvement on last year so I'm chuffed but not entirely surprised. I know that I've improved in my training since Florence and the real test will be with the half-marathon in Rambouillet against Nico.

10.3 km all up in 45:52 or an average pace of 4:26 per km.