Interval session

Slightly changed my interval session this morning. Instead of doing the scheduled 5 x 600m with 2 minutes jog recovery, I set up a workout on my ipod using one of the Alberto Salazar workouts called "Increase Your Speed 2". Workout has a 10 minute warm up then 6 x 2 minutes with 2 minutes recovery then 10 minutes warm down. I added some songs at the start and end for a longer warm up and warm down.

Ran a really solid warm up at slightly quicker pace than normal warm up, running from my house down to the Marathon Club and was back towards the Causeway when the first interval kicked in. Didn't really want to run on the track and figured that 2 minutes at the right effort is about equivalent to 600m for me. Useful part about these audio workouts is the 1 minute to go and 30 seconds to go prompts that Salazar provides, instead of having to look at my watch (in the half dark).

Ran each of the intervals strongly - not sure of the distance other than the last one which was basically exactly over the new Narrows Bridge. What I ran in the 2 mins works out to 570m so with the uphill at the start and the fact that it was the last of the 6 intervals, I am pretty happy with this.

Normal pace warm down and total for the run works out at 14.73km in 1 hour 3 minutes (4.16/km average pace). Quite surprised at the overall average pace as only ran 12 minutes at 5km pace, but I guess the quicker warm up and maybe if I was covering little more than 600m in my 2 mins this would have also contributed.

Easy running for the rest of the week with a view to Darlington Half on Sunday. Forecast is good with a max of 27 so may be a little cold at the start but that should be an advantage.

Got an email from the BAA this morning, the Adidas Boston Marathon clothing is now available http://www.shopadidas.com/family/index.jsp?categoryId=2248464&cp=2039716.2048733.2019535&view=all

I think we might be denting the plastic a bit on this at the Expo before the marathon.

Have also settled on my reading material for the plane trip (bit early I know but these things are important). Rox is a real movie watcher on planes while I tend to be more of a reader, also want to be able to get up regularly and walk around without missing any movie I might be watching.

Books I have picked are:

"Duel in the Sun: Alberto Salazar, Dick Beardsley and America's Greatest Marathon" by John Brant. I have read this before, it is the story of the 1982 Boston Marathon and it's fantastic so I'm looking forward to reading it again.

"The Perfect Mile" by Neal Bascomb which is the story of the race to break the four minute mile. I bought this for my Dad for his birthday a few years back and have borrowed it.

"Lance Armstrong: tour de force" by Daniel Coyle which is supposed to be the best Armstrong book ever written and one of the best cycling books as well. I'm a big Armstrong fan and this looks like a great read.

That should be enough to get me through I think, although I probably won't be able to resist buying magazines as well.