3x1600 on the Track

It was time for a speed workout at the end of last week. Looking back over the last 6 weeks, I had the TC 10 Mile in early October, some 2x2 mile intervals 2 weeks after that, the Minneapolis Halloween Half Marathon 2 weeks after that, and now a track workout 2 weeks after the half. Consistent!

I was ready to go out on a cold morning after a WARM last few weeks - this weather snuck up on us in a hurry:

Heading out at 5:30 a.m. when it was 26 degrees
with 13 mph winds making it feel like 18 degrees.


The track was DARK (darker than it appears in this 3 sec exposure).


Flags blowing at the far end. The track looked about black in real life.

I didn't have any real goals. Just to run hard. I wasn't even sure what my rest times were going to be, but I settled on 3:00 rest between my 3x1600 workout (taking walking rest between the intervals).

My first one started slow with a 1:28 opening lap. I picked it up a bit and ran decent 800 splits:

2:51.20 + 2:45.91 = 5:37.11

My 2nd one I ran clockwise (opposite the usual way) just to break things up for my legs. I was able to take a few seconds off each 800 split:

2:49.68 + 2:42.09 = 5:31.77

I didn't know what I'd be able to do for the final 1600. Someone came and joined me on the track, and that was a litlte motivation to run hard. I was happy with this:

2:46.61 + 2:37.75 = 5:24.36

That's a 5:31.0 average.

Blurry selfie with frozen fingers after the last 1600.

In August, I ran 5:36 down to 5:32 in the pouring rain; in May, I averaged 5:31.5; and in March, I started the season with the same workout averaging 5:33. I've got to look back 18 months to May of 2021 where I averaged 5:28 to find a faster 3x1600 workout. I was happy I was able to hold on for that final interval - it really worked me well!!