Running Report June 15, 2015. Yasso 800's, oh yeah baby, bring the pain!

MONDAY 6/15/15
Yasso 800's this morning.  4 half mile repeats at 3 minutes each with 3 minute jog in between each repeat. 

1. 2.55 half mile, then 3 min. jog
2. 2.56 "                                     "
3. 2.54 "                                      "
4. 2.54 50 second walk, 15 seconds of taking heart rate and then half mile cool down jog untimed. 

Week 3 miles
Month 69
Year 469

This was a key workout that I had mentally circled on the calendar.  Since it was the first Yasso 800's of this training cycle (the 18 week Hal Higdon Marathon Advanced II training plan).  Also this was the first time I would be doing Yasso 800's at 3.00 minutes each.  As stated above the goal was to do each repeat at 3.00 minutes.  The first one is always hard to tell because it is hard and I don't have anything previous to base my effort on so I usually go a little bit harder than necessary in order to not come in slow.  Upon finishing at 2.55 it thought "ok, that was hard but good thing I came in under 3.00.  I can slow down on the next one and get right at three because to do four at 2.55 would be really hard".  On the next repeat I didn't want to go to slow and I ended up with a 2.56.  Now, half way through the workout, I decided to just go for it and push myself to finish the next one at 2.55 and then I would only have one left and I could go all out for that one.  The third was very difficult.  I felt fine for the first 100-200 meters or so.  From 200 to 500 meters or so it was all about making to a certain landmark with good form and not slowing down.  The last 300 meters was a struggle, a fight to keep going, swinging the arms, not tensing up the upper body, pushing and enduring to the end.  For some reason oxyegen debt came to my mind.  I remember thinking during the first interval that I am in decent shape and that I should be able to recover my heart rate and breathing.  I also thought about trusting my training.  I should be in shape enough to do this, I thought.  I finally ended up finishing that third one as the fastest of the day by a second.  I was very tired and the only consolation was that there was only one left and then it would all be over.  On the last repeat, it was a struggle after like 100 meters or so.  Fighting the whole way to keep good form, keep the pace and keep focused on making it to the next landmark that would get me closer to the finish.  The last 200 meters or so was the race pain.  Forearms getting tingly like their going numb or something, breathing really hard, and overall pain.  Finishing with a 2.54 completed the workout on an exhausting but great note.  This will pay dividens later this week when I do six miles at 7 minute pace and my Saturday long run.  I was not looking forward to this run, but now that it is over I am glad I put that much more fitness in the bank and I was able to continue to train my mind to discipline my body to endure pain, repeatedly.  Having surpassed my goal and won today's running battle in a workout long anticipated and yet knowing there is so much more to do it is now appropriate to leave you with a running quote.  This is from Emil Zatopek.  If you don't know who he is, it worth looking him up on wikipedia.  Here is the quote

"It's at the borders of pain and suffering that the men are seperated from the boys."