Run Bulldog Run » 800m

McMillan Custom Marathon Plan: Week 16 Day 4

Steve — Fri, 17 Oct 2008 00:22:14 +0000

Week 16, Day 4
Phase: Marathon
Workout: 15 to 30 minute Warm-Up + 8 to 10 times Yasso 800s + 15 to 30 minute Cool-down
Purpose: Build Stamina – lactate threshold

Tough workout tonight!

After a roughly 25 minute warm up, it was time to perform one of my favorite track workouts; the Yasso 800′s. For those who’ve never tried them they are a great marathon prediction workout pioneered by Bart Yasso.

From the McMillan Running web site:

The theory behind Yasso 800s is that your time in minutes and seconds for a workout of 10 times 800 meters (two laps of the track) with equal recovery time is the same as the hours and minutes of your marathon time. For example, if you can run 10 times 800 meters in three minutes and 20 seconds with three minutes and 20 seconds recovery, then this predicts that you can run three hours and 20 minutes for your marathon. Run 2:40 for the 800s and you can run 2:40 for the marathon.

My experience, though, is that Yasso 800s predicts about five minutes too fast for most marathoners. Using the example above, my experience has been that 10 times 800 meters in 3:20 with 3:20 recovery yields closer to a 3:25 marathon for most competitive runners. Because this workout is easy to do, I try to include it two or three times in a marathon training cycle. It not only provides a good predictor of marathon pace but allows you to chart your increasing fitness – a big confidence builder.

It’s been about a month since my last attempt at the Yasso’s, so I was keen (I think) to have another go and see roughly where my fitness is at the moment.

Aside from the unseasonal hot temperature, my main concern was running negative splits for the 8 x 800m. The worst thing you can do is run the first couple of repeats fast and then get slower and slower….

Anyway, the first couple were quite comfortable in 2:50 apiece. The third one was a little more difficult and for some reason my left knee started to bother me. For this reason I decided on a change of direction and ran the next 3 x 800m clockwise around the track – surprisingly I clocked 2:48 for each of them.

With only two repeats remaining I switched direction and decided to give it everything for the final mile of track work. Repeat #7 was a solid 2:45, although I had to work really hard in the final 200m to hang on. I treated myself to an extra 100m recovery before the final 800m and stormed home with a 2:43!

The plan called for 8 to 10 x 800m, but there was no way tonight I could have done another. To be honest, it was all I could do to jog the couple of miles home….

Splits: 2:50, 2:50, 2:49, 2:48, 2:48, 2:48, 2:45, 2:43

For the record:

Distance: 10.5 miles
Time: 1:17:00
Pace: 7:20 per mile

Classic Men’s 800m U.S. Olympic Trials Final

Steve — Fri, 04 Jul 2008 18:00:38 +0000

How about this for a perfect race? Nick Symmonds had been saying all week he was going to win the 800m and qualify for the Olympics. Would you have put money on him with one lap to go??

Great race; enjoy!

Week 14 – Key Run Workout #1

Steve — Thu, 11 Oct 2007 00:52:00 +0000

Tuesday night is always the most challenging running day of the week for me, and tonight was no exception. I don’t quite know what the problem is, but I feel great leading up to the workout, feel confident as the workout begins, but soon feel wiped out and heavy legged as the workout progresses. It’s really frustrating and is making me think how prepared (or not) I am for the marathon in 2 and a half weeks.

Anyway, tonight’s workout was a 10-20 minute warm up (no problems here!), followed by 8 x 800m with a 90 second recovery between repeats. I wanted to run them in around 2:50 per 800m, and as usual I started off very well.

2:47, 2:48, 2:47, 2:47

It was after the 4th 800m that I realised I still had a lot of work to do before the workout was over. The 5th one was a real struggle at 2:50, but somehow I found a little something in reserve to record a 2:48 6th repeat. The 90 second recovery went so fast and before I knew it I had to pick up the pace for another 800m of hell.

Here it all went quite wrong. I slowed dramatically to a 2:54 and really had to give everything just to achieve that time. I “treated myself” to a 120 second recovery, but could still only manage a 2:56 final 800m.

A few hours have passed since the workout and looking back I still can’t figure out what was wrong. My hydration was good, I’d eaten well (but not too well) all day long and I was mentally looking forward to the challenge. I’d even given myself an extra recovery day after my 20 mile run on Sunday. My legs just weren’t up to the challenge tonight and I’m hoping it’s a temporary thing. Funny thing is, my legs feel great again right now.