I am excited to report that I have just had the best pre-marathon workout in my career. I was able to average 2:38.2 which, according to Bart Yasso, should translate to a 2:38 marathon in the same conditions. I am not going to get too excited though and my goal will remain to go under 2:42 and finish in the top half. However, this is very, very encouraging.
It was not easy. The fog/smog was even heavier than yesterday. By the time I got to the stadium I was already sweaty, by the time I was done with the first two repeats I was soaked. During the first two repeats I felt quite relaxed. With number five and six I was able to just completely focus and listen to Alex's voice in my head: "Now, this is when it's going to be tough. You just stay with it. It's the middle part that hurts. Just stay with it, stay with it, stay with it....." Once I was done with number 5 and 6 I knew I was going to finish the workout well. The last two started to hurt, for sure, my legs were slowly getting heavy, but given that I was able to get to 2:35 on the last one makes me know that I could have done two more at 2:38ish.
The track was kind of eerie early in the morning (I started my workout at 7:30am, which is when the marathon will start). I was the first and only athlete there for a while. Then other athletes started coming- with their teamates, and their coaches, and possibly even their massage therapists. I felt quite strange being so by myself. But I feel only stronger for it. I was able to do this by myself. No Alex to hide behind when I was running into the wind, no Carre or Rebecca to yell out a word of encoragement. I only had my legs, lungs, and head to make this happen. I must say I am quite proud of myself today. Whether the marathon time that I want happens or not, I know that I have been able to prepare for this race like I had never prepared for a marathon before.
WEll, here are all my splits for my fellow runners out there. I will post another message and some pictures later today.
Repeat 1: 02:39.4, Repeat 2: 2:38, Repeat 3: 02:38.9, Repeat 4: 02:39.3, Repeat 5: 02:37.7, Repeat 6: 02:38.5, Repeat 7: 02:38.9, Repeat 8: 02:35.4
AVERAGE: 02:38.2
The track as I started the workout...only a lonely volunteer in the background....
Posts
12 comments:
There you go. Good workout Zuzka! Best Yasso workout ever, right? And this is even without the world's best pace-setter. This workout may or may not mean anything, but it's one more piece of the almost-complete puzzle. Did you drink Endurox?
You do always have to spoil everything, don't you! :))) Yes, I drank the recovery drink...
(A technical comment from an exercise physiologist/training adviser/husband.) Just to clarify, a "true" Yasso 800s workout is 10 repeats and not 8. However, this is such a hard workout that doing 10 would be too hard this close to the marathon. So our Yasso 800m workout follows a training philosophy of Sebastian Coe, "finish every interval session feeling like you've got one more in you". And since Coe raced 800/1500 and not the marathon, we said, "let's do 8, feeling like you've got two more in you". This takes experience, discipline, honesty and feeling secure in your abilities as a runner. No Fear!
Zuz, Congrats on a great workout! I have been having fun reading your posts and feeling like I am there with you. I am really glad to hear that you are feeling better and that you got all that free swag. I can't wait to see it. You'll have to wear all of your Olympic stuff around campus. Palmer will love it! Thanks for getting me a pin. You are so sweet. If you see the men's volleyball or water polo teams in the cafeteria, tell them hi for me. Ha ha!
Thanks Kristen. And I will say "hi" from you to the soccer guys and the tennis players (trust me, you want to say hi to them too!). Oh, that's right, Alex is reading this too....
Hello-
I am a reporter with KSL-TV, in Beijing, and would love to met with you and do a story. Will you please contact me at abutterfield@ksl.com
thank you
Good job! This was a real confidence booster. You should feel much better when rested come the race day.
Martin
Good workout! It seems that Beijing air is a great lung opener:-)
It great to see Alex as the support. Mention some nice details - or in comments. (VJZ)
Hello V,J,Z :))
I'd have to devote a separate blog to Aleksandar to do him justice. I really don't think that without him my Olympic dream would ever have come true. He is certainly an excellent coach, and often, a training partner and a race pace setter to me. He has a valid reason for everything he asks me to do or not to do and having that complete trust where you don't doubt your coach is not common in athletics. He has sacrificed a lot of his own goals over this past year to help fulfil mine. I wish everyone would have this kind of unconditional support in their life. I am very, very lucky.
Hi, Zuzana! I know you don't know me, but MH told me about you because I'm training for a marathon too (my first--the Berlin Marathon on September 28). I'm enjoying reading about your training and your Olympic experience! I'll be cheering for you from Germany!
Zuzana - good job on your workout! Sasha Pachev let me know about your blogspot and I am excited to be a spectator to your olympic experience.
Post a Comment