Thursday, April 15, 2010

Elk Meadow - 12x400

Time: 1:06
Distance: 8 miles
Effort: Hard
Body: Good
Weather: Sunny & warm



A bit o' the speedwork today. Couldn't bear a stint at the track with the trails drying out, so I decided to try something different. 


I did a 2.4 mile w/u running from home down Quarterhorse Road and around the Elk Meadow dog park. Once I hit the upper lot at Elk Meadow and got on the park's trails, I started doing on the Meadow View and Painter's Pause Trails a series of 400-meter surges with two-tenths of a mile jogs in between. I ran the surges on whatever terrain the trails threw at me (uphills, downhills, snow, mud, etc...).  The 12 400s went like this:  1:39; 1:50; 1:43; 1:39; 1:40; 1:26; 1:25; 1:22; 1:18; 1:54; 1:25; and 1:34. The average pace for the 400s had a high of 7:38 and a low of 5:23. I never went all out, just ran them "comfortably hard."


This was a pretty entertaining workout. The variable terrain was certainly a heck of a lot more challenging (and scenic!) than a track. Plus, the surface is, of course, a lot less jarring and much more in line with what I'll experience in any race I run.



2 comments:

  1. Nice workout....I should probably be doing the same type thing as well. How long do you think before Bergen is completely melted out?

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  2. Jim -

    Not sure what's happening up high. There was just a bit of snow in the trees on Meadow View. I'll bet Too Long is fine. Probably still a bit up high on the summit out-and-back. Should be good in...another week...? Let's hit it sometime soon.

    Good luck in Fruita Eager to hear how it goes.

    JRP

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