4x1.5 Mile Modified

Goal:
4x1.5 mile with 300m rest

Actual:
3 miles warmup
3x1.5 mile in 8:48, 8:36, 8:44 with 3:15 jog rest and then 800m in 2:40
2 miles cool down

Last summer I felt like I always had an entourage of people to work out with.  Either those people got faster or we are just training for different races.  Regardless, my always dependent running buddy, Will Isenhour, was able to make it for this workout.  This is always a plus so that I have that extra motivation to get out of bed at 5:30AM to meet him to avoid the summer heat.

As soon as I set foot outside my air-conditioned uptown condo, I was overwhelmed with the thick, moist mass of air that engulfed my body.  My body still has not adjusted to the heat and humidity that's been in NC for the past week - highs in the mid 90s with high humidity levels.  I knew that it was going to be difficult to tough this one out.

After a 3 mile warmup, Will and I began with the goal of running 6:10 pace (I know, very conservative) and then working our way faster as each interval passed.  We went out a little too fast on the first one but  we maintained a 5:52 average on the Dilworth Speed Loop.  I had cotton mouth the entire way.  After a jog rest, we began our second one and I felt fabulous on this one!  I ran an even 5:50 pace until the slight downhill at .75 mile and was able to pick my overall pace up to 5:44.  I negative split and I felt relaxed.  Things were looking good.

I must have used up a lot of my energy on that second one because I struggled on the third one.  While I was able to muster a 5:49 pace average, everything was a lot harder:  it was hard to pick my knees up high, it was hard to breathe, it was hard not to focus on how terrible the air felt, etc.  This slower interval felt harder than my second interval, which was a little bit faster.  In the final 400m, I felt like I was going to the well and that my legs were toast.  I still wanted to get in at least five miles of workout, so I ran an 800ms in 2:40 and then called it a day.

While I do not always liked adjusting my planned work out, sometimes it is best to be smart and listen to your body.  I've been running long enough to know when my body has had enough and I knew when it was time to call it quits today.  I still got in 5 miles of quality work and am confident that in just a week's time my body (and mind) will have adjusted to the heat and humidity that is here to stay for the next three months.