6:22/M X 6!
Another step up in my speed work progression. I had 5 X 1M scheduled but wanted to push a bit harder to see where I’m at. Getting the 6th rep wasn’t easy but wasn’t horribly painful, either. I figured adding these reps would really test my cardio but I’m finding the greater challenge to be the strain/fatigue on my legs. Thumping chest and heaving lungs aside, it is just tough moving my already-tired legs that fast for rep after rep. But, each time I get through one of these sessions, both my confidence and fitness improve and it shows me that it is ok to hurt a little and I am, in fact, getting faster and stronger each week.
This Thursday’s 8M marathon-pace session will be another solid test, as will the 30K night-time trail race on Saturday. Running fast on tired legs, week in, week out, is sort of retraining my body to keep moving even when (especially when) I’m less than fully rested. It should make similar speeds feel downright comfy after a taper come marathon time.