Apr 29, 2008

3, 2, 1... Failure to Launch

With less than 3 weeks until the Cleveland Marathon, I'm feeling the need to work in some high-intensity workouts so as to gauge my overall level of fitness. I need a measuring stick in order to plan my race day strategy. Last year, I used a half marathon 2 weeks before Cleveland as a gauge and I may have the opportunity to do the same this year, dependent on the weather on Saturday. Just in case, I planned a full 3-2-1 run this morning, which works out to 12 miles total, 6 of them done at 6 min/mile pace (3 slow, 3 fast, 2 slow, 2 fast, 1 slow, 1 fast). I was nervous and actually carb loaded last night thinking that might help. I also brought along a vanilla Power Gel.

The heart of the workout is without question the first 3 miles done at 6 minute pace following an easy 3 mile warm-up. I hit all 3 miles in 5:59 but felt completely drained afterward. I walked for a few minutes feeling slightly dizzy and nauseous. I slowly took down the gel with water and eventually started running again. By the end of my 8th mile I was feeling slightly better but had a side stitch that wouldn't go away. I started into a fast miles 9 and 10 and bailed about half way through, succumbing to the side stitch. I normally would fight through something like this, but not during a Tuesday morning traning run. I was happy to have done what worked out to an intense 9-mile tempo run. Plus I had a few extra minutes to strength train.

1 comment:

E-Speed said...

man Brian and here I was all excited I ran one mile in 6:05 last night.

I've got a lot of work to do :)