Zilker Miles

Time: 75:45
Distance: 12.5 mi.

Target: 4-5 x 1 mile in ~4:45, 3:00 jogging rest
Workout: 4:44.3, 4:46.6, 4:41.7, 4:42.4, 4:44.0 (avg: 4:43.8)

A fairly good solo workout. I used the 1 mile loop from the Rogue site (though none of the markings on the road seem to correspond to this loop) which was fairly good for repeats. I alternated between heading out on Columbus (which I started on, and I think is easier) and heading out on Andrew Zilker. Once I got through three, I was pretty sure that I would be able to make it through five at about that pace without going to the well, so that's what I decided on. I did have to put socks on after the third, though, as I started to get a blister on my left foot.

The loop is easier from the clockwise direction because the only uphill section is short and steep and then the whole second half is gradually downhill. The counter-clockwise direction starts with a half mile gradual uphill and then you have to pound the steep downhill before heading up again before the finish.

The profile of the loop from the clockwise direction

Looking up the hill on Columbus

At the moment I'm glad that I put this off until today, as I felt much better when I woke up this morning than I did the last few days... I'll see how I feel by Sunday, though.

Update: It looks like Google just added Street View on Google Maps for Austin, which will allow me to post more random pictures of the places I'm running.

Home to Zilker

Time: 45:00
Distance: 7 mi.
Map

Ran from home down to Zilker for volleyball "practice" with Brian and Barry. For me this meant standing in the sand and pathetically swatting the ball on the few occasions it came my direction. The run was fine... I was hungry and tired after class. My right quad is sore.

Zilker Speed Play

Time: 83:40
Distance: 13 mi.

Target: 8 x 3:00 hard with 1:00 steady jogging rest
Workout: 6 x 3:00 hard, bathroom break, 2 x 3:00 hard

Meh... overall it was a good long-ish effort, but plagued by annoyances: digestion issues and serious wind out on Zilker. We ran down to the park from the track, did very big loops around the perimeter for the Fartlek, and ran back. The wind was pretty serious, similar to what Jordan gets on a bad day in Oklahoma. Right knee was quite sore afterwards.

Zilker 4 x 2k

Time: 91:30
Distance: 14.5 mi.

Target: 4 x 2k in ~6:00 with 3:00 rest
Workout: 6:05, 6:00, 5:57, 5:51



Very good workout... the type I didn't have last year (and would've garnered a "green" rating on Flotrack when I was using it). Did the intervals on an 800m loop, so we had 2.5 loops for each. Each interval seemed to feel better than the last as despite my legs getting a little tired I felt I was settling in well. The splits were fairly even and Jake, Leo, Kyle and I all took turns leading some. It was good to see BRD coming around and Jay looked really good too. Even JT Supreme (Joe Thorne) came out, which was a nice surprise.

Finished up with 6 diagonal strides when we got back to the track.

Zilker 1ks, Track 300s

Time: 91:30
Distance: 14 mi.

Target: 6 x 1k in ~2:45 with 3:00 rest; 6 x 100m/300m in 25/48 (7:30 for 1.5 mi.)
Workout: 2:50, 2:44, 2:44, 2:43, 2:43, 2:39 (avg. 2:43.8); 7:31


Downtown Austin, Town Lake, and Zilker Park (bottom left)

Headed out to Zilker with a small group (Jake, Kyle, Stan, and Rob and Jay for a few) for some quick 1ks with solid rest, then back to the track for 300s with quick rest. Overall a very good workout... meant to target an area that we haven't done much training on: intervals pushing VO2 Max with decent recovery. I have a great aerobic base, but didn't feel on Friday that I could push beyond that, which is exactly what this workout was for--and I felt it just as I expected: I recovered quickly, but I had heavy arms and was rigging a bit by the end (got dropped by a few seconds by Jake, Kyle and Stanley on the last one). Happy with the work we put in, though, and definitely an indication that we're in great shape.

The rankings got shaken up a bit this week after pre-nats, but conference weekend is when things will get really interesting.

Zilker Loop

Time: 90:00
Distance: 13 mi.
Map

Easy 90 minutes to try to keep the volume up for the week. Ran down to Zilker and did a loop there and back. It's nice that Town Lake is a little bit farther away than last year from the house, as it makes a few of these same runs a bit longer.

Not feeling spectacular after being up a bit late last night, but got it done. Pretty tired most of the day.

Zilker 4ks

Time: 90:00
Distance: 14 mi.

Target: 2 x 4k in 12:10 and under 12:00, with 4 min. rest.
Workout: 12:05, 12:00.

Something of an 8k "simulation," which I think was very well-placed with our first real race being a bit later than most teams, next week. Physically felt very good throughout with the exception of some mild stomach issues on both, and calf tightness on the second when I put on spikes for the first time for anything long. Hamstring was tight on the warmup and a bit on the cooldown, but not bad on the intervals. I expect it and my calves to be pretty sore tomorrow.

Stanley, Kyle and I were together for the whole thing, Darren dropped off a little bit on the second one (but looked good), and Habben was a bit off on both. Leo was doing a boatload of 400s and Jake took the workout off. I think Vig was looking for something a little faster on the second 4k (11:50?) which would've been very doable, but for whatever reason we just settled in and didn't go to the well at all. He seemed happy with us being fairly comfortable in the end. It was moderately cool (low-70s) but humid anyway. The workout was on the same 800m loop we ran on Tuesday, which meant for a moderate hill every lap.

300s, Tempo, 300s

Time: 90:00
Distance: 13.5 mi.
Map (warmup/cooldown)

Target: 6x300m (50 sec) with 100m jog (25 sec); 3 mi. tempo (5:05); 6x300m (50 sec) with 100m jog (25 sec)
Workout: 300s averaging 52ish, jogs were a little slow; 5:02, 5:05, 5:03 (15:10); 300s at 50 down to 47 (with one 54), jogs again slow



First workout at Zilker Park this year. Warmed up about 26 minutes (3.75 mi.) to the park where Vig had marked out an 800m loop (with each 100m marked). For the 300s we did three loops taking off two 100m sections on each. For the tempo we just did 6 loops. It was very humid, reminding me of our 1ks workout out there last year.

A bit of shuffling of groups, and who was running what, but Erik, Jake and I stayed together the whole way, which was solid. This seems like a workout that would've floored me last year, so I was pretty happy with it. Right hamstring/adducter/glute was tight, but not terrible. Calves/achilles sore by the end as well, as I did it all in flats.