Relaxed Speedwork (5x800m)

This morning was crisp and clear for a change, with the overcast that's created such a pall over the city for the last week or so disappearing. Temp was about 40, but it felt nicer without the rain and drizzle. A large crew gathered at RunTex, and we cruised over to Austin High School in the dark. There was lively chatter as we eased over to the track. Warmup complete and the drills finished, we grouped up for our workout. Marathoners were to do 5x800m with 2:00 rest between, and we were supposed to do them at or just under marathon race pace. That mean that I should be shooting for 800m times between 4:25 and 4:30. Jan, Henry and I ended up doing the repeats together, since Frank's group was going faster, and our usual peeps that aren't doing the marathon went to do their 800's with the faster people instead of hanging with us. We talked the whole time we were doing these easy 800's, and knocked off our 5 in 4:28, 4:36, 4:31, 4:20 and 4:25, ranging from 8:43 to 9:15 mile pace. My HR never got cranked up to any sort of big number doing the 800's, and the HR recovered swiftly in the 2:00 rest between intervals. After 3x100m striders, we headed back to RunTex. It was a nice little workout, just enough to get the legs turning over at the proper rate without blasting anything. Total day was 6.4 miles at 9:26 average pace.

We took time to stretch afterwards. Saturday's 7-10 miler over the end of the marathon course should be nice and relaxed, followed by the extended stretching regimen.