Well, I gave that whole “fartlek” thing a try tonight since you all recommended it. It was pretty tough. I did a quick warm up and then started alternating three minutes running with one minute walking. I was surprised that my overall pace didn’t seem to drop, considering how much I was huffing and puffing during those last sprints. I managed to finish my 2.5 km in less than 20 minutes, and I hit the 2-mile mark at 24:00 exactly. That’s pretty sweet. Even if I do the last mile at a crawl I shouldn’t have any trouble coming in under 40:00 for the 5K. (I feel I must report all this to you guys, as it’s like you’re my collective Coach.)
stefanie
April 16, 2003 — 1:57 am
Very cool — definitely keep the reports coming! (am esp. curious to know if you think regular fartleks over time speed your pace)
psorr
April 16, 2003 — 4:37 am
Great start! I wouldn’t worry about lowering your overall pace right now; the goal is just to get your body accustomed to faster running. Then, when race day comes, you’ll be able to put the adrenaline to better use.