20 x 500m

This is the classic interval session in the marathon training programme and last year I felt that I'd upped the ante when I ran this with Nico at an average time of 1:43 per interval off 1:15 recovery.

I turned up at the club late with Laurence waiting for me to let me into the changing rooms with the keys. She'd been kind enough to propose this over the phone as I called in from the Paris ring-road, stuck in a jam caused by the ever popular agricultural show at Porte de Versailles. I turned up 10 minutes late and we set off together on a warm-up in the opposite direction to the others in order to catch them on the way back to the track. Laurence was running a 6 x 1000m session with Sandra and Katia while I was hoping to find someone who'd run with me.

Back at the track, it soon became obvious that no-one was willing to take on such a big session so close to Rambouillet or Paris half-marathons. They were doing a pyramid session and I couldn't even convince Nico to act as a pacemaker for me. I hesitated for a moment about joining in an easier session and then decided that I had committed to doing this training so do it I would.

I set off by myself on the track and ran the 500m intervals with a 200m recovery.

They went as follows:

1:38, 1:35, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37, 1:37,
1:38, 1:38, 1:37, 1:37, 1:38, 1:38, 1:38, 1:39, 1:38

And I stopped after 18 calling it a day as I was alone on the track now. I'd decided that as soon as I slowed to 1:40 I'd pull the plug. This just didn't happen so I stopped anyway - too tired to make it to the end. Thighs were aching, legs were sore and mentally it was tough. Better than the session with Nico last year but off 1:30 recovery which was about 15 seconds slower.

16.5km all up in 1:14 or an average pace of 4:29. Chuffed with this session as it bodes well for the half-marathon.