Fartlek is a Funny Word

I mixed up my long run yesterday with some random efforts. It was my first fartlek workout of 2023.

Here's what I ran yesterday (with bold being the efforts of 3, 2, 4, 1, and 5 mins, and non-bold being the easy running of 2, 1, 2, 1, and 3 mins between the 2 "sets"):

[This shows time first and (pace in parentheses) and then total distance of that split on the right. My Garmin takes 0.5 mile splits, so "longer" efforts are 2 numbers added up with the first being 0.5 mile.]

3:01 (6:22) = 0.48
2:01 (7:56) = 0.25
2:00 (5:48) = 0.35
1:00 (8:26) = 0.12
3:01 (6:02) + 1:00 (6:01) = 0.67
2:00 (7:49) = 0.25
1:00 (5:35) = 0.18
1:00 (8:01) = 0.13
3:03 (6:06) + 1:58 (5:44) = 0.85

3:00 (8:33) = 0.35

2:57 (5:55) + 0:03 (8:31) = 0.51
1:58 (7:40) = 0.26
2:00 (5:58) = 0.34
0:59 (7:31) = 0.13
3:03 (6:07) + 0:57 (5:57) = 0.66
1:59 (8:33) = 0.23
1:01 (5:39) = 0.18
0:59 (8:16) = 0.12
2:58 (5:57) + 2:03 (5:44) = 0.86

I did this workout 3 times last year:

The last time I did this in August of 2022, the effort distances were the same or FARTHER by 0.01 or 0.02 miles (with one of the 3:00 efforts being 0.03 farther), so I was in better shape (at least for this workout) late summer of last year.

When I did this workout a few months before that in June of 2022, my splits were a bit all over the place, with many of my longer splits being SHORTER than my workout yesterday.

And when I did this workout exactly a year ago in April of 2022, the first "set" had some FARTHER and SHORTER than yesterday, but the 2nd set had 4 of the 5 efforts FARTHER in this workout yesterday. So one could argue that I'm in better shape right now than I was last year... and I think I'd argue that. (But now to see if I can keep improving over the summer and be better this August than I was last August!)

My out-and-back route. (It took over 2 miles to catch a satellite if you notice my "start" point!)


My final "set" of efforts heading back north: 3, 2, 4, 1, and 5 minutes.


Pace and heart rate. Note how my HR didn't change much in the 2nd set -
it stayed higher through my easy efforts because I was being WORKED!

I feel like this fartlek workout is a BIT easier on my body than my normal long run (which is simply 6 harder "at pace" miles in the middle), and the "exercise load" number on my Garmin seemed to agree with me. This fartlek workout had a "load" of 269 (higher means I was worked more), and last week's "normal" long run was 277. Two weeks ago was my first outdoor long run of the year at 297, but it was also a bit longer and my first time running hills for months. Three weeks ago on the treadmill, I had a load of only 185 for my long run.

Back with a quick "Wordless Wednesday" tomorrow, and then some thoughts on THIS WEEKEND'S RACE in a post on Thursday (which I still need to formulate)...