New Kids On The Track

As you might know from my previous post, I am spending two weeks in south of Portugal taking part in a training camp organized by 2:09 events. This is not only my first time taking part in such a camp, there are many other first timers: running barefoot on a beach, having the luxury of cooling off my legs after each run in the cold pool and especially doing my speed session on the track!

Many runners I know use track quite regularly, surely those who come from the shorter distance track background. I don't really have an easy access to the track and am not sure how my two running buddies (my dogs) would take that kind of training, so my speed work consist of repeats in park where there is a part with measured distances or is based on my Garmin or done on a treadmill. As the terrain here is not that even to find nice "flat" 1 km and doing back and forth on a 500 m piece of road seems more painful to me than cruising on a track, I chose the track for my speed sessions - two of them that I have completed so far.

Broth of the sessions were not truly speed sessions that would make sense on the track rather several sets of 2-3 km intense repeats = cruising around the track for many times. But given some of my long runs happen on 3 or 4 km long loop, I am used to it and I don't really mind. At least it is consistent :) After the first two days at the camp, I learnt the hard way, that easy morning run should be really EASY ... If it is not easy and you try to impress others and go with the speedy people = your afternoon MAIN session is probably SCREWED!!! So took those morning runs really easy and had some rest, ideally nap before the afternoon session. That is the bonus of training camp = vacation :)

Workout #1 : 8 x 2 km

Garmin file is here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/462920888

I got in the first 4 repeats and had hard time finishing the fourth one, so decided to do the next repeats by 1 km, in order to be able to keep up the pace and go close to the planned volume.  Result: 4 x 2 km + 6 x 1 km, only 2 km short in the total volume. Still it means I ran 14 km at sub 7 min/mile pace!!! Very happy about that :)

Workout #2 : 4 x 4 km progression

Garmin file is here: http://connect.garmin.com/activity/463978397

Was supposed to be 4 x 4 km progression of 4:30 - 4:20 - 4:10 - 4:00 min/km (7:14 - 6:58 - 6:42 - 6:26 min/mile). 

Reality of the intervals: 

1) 3 km 

2) 2 + 1 km 

3) 2 + 1 km 

4) 1 + 1 km 

My HR wasn't going up towards the end = I am on the edge of overtraining, I couldn't virtually push the pace more for the final repeats... Pretty happy with the session anyway! I managed that 1 km for sub 4 min/km (= sub 6:30 min/mile). Still long way to go for me speed-wise :D

And last but not least little selection of yummy things I have been eating here:

My usual breakfast would be bacon, eggs and huge amounts of fruit (as I eat Paleo diet = no grains or legumes, fruits are my staple for carbs...), I would go for seconds for fruits after this plate :)

What would life be without morning espresso!

Parma ham and melon for starters...

... and honey crusted fresh salmon over bed of salad for the main course.

Have been really good with the nutrition here and I can feel the benefits!

Do you do track sessions? How often? Like them?

What about your nutrition, are you good or you eat all you can? :D