Two Track Workouts: Nasty 200s, and some 800s and 400s

Two weeks ago, I posted about 2 speed workouts: one on a treadmill in Italy, and then one 2 weeks later once I got home and things were a bit back to normal. The Italy workout was 3 miles HARD, and then I ran a ladder workout on our local track on the 18th: intervals of 1 lap, 2 laps, 3, 4, 3, 2, and 1.

After those "longer" workouts, it was time to do something shorter. So 10 days ago, I did 16x200 done 4x(4x200) with 200 jogging between the 200 meter reps, and 3:00 of rest between the sets of 4. I did the same workout back in late June to help prep for the Raspberry Run 1 Mile in mid-July. I was well aware that I'd PROBABLY be slower now as I didn't have a speedy goal sitting on the horizon to keep me extra motivated.

My first set of four 200s was a bit slower than back in June: 0:35.80 in June, and 0:36.45 now (0:00.65 slower). And my 2nd set of four 200s was a bit slower too: 0:34.23 in June, and 0:34.75 now (0:00.52 slower).

And I just kept slowing down. In my 3rd set, I felt like one interval was really easy (my 10th 200), but it was because I turned in my slowest split since the 1st set at 35.4 sec. Oops. Damn. My 3rd set of four 200s averaged 0:33.73 in June, and was 0:34.60 now (0:00.87 slower). And I was was more than a second slower in my final set: 0:33.23 in June, and 0:34.50 now (0:01.27 slower - ouch).

Not great splits, but a solid workout.

Nice and early at the track!


Four ladies joined me near the middle of my workout.


I HATE standing around in the sun, so this shows the sun just
starting to creep down to me as my workout finished. I made it! :)


Four sets of (200 HARD, 200 jogging) with rest between the sets. Pretty obvious.


Most of my efforts ended in the 4:2x pace area.


Half lap fast, half lap easy.

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Then I hit the track again last week for 4 x (800 meters then 400 meters) with 2:00 rest between all. I did this workout back in May and hoped I was faster now.

Lots of stuff on the track for new student orientation-related things.


Henry came with and did sprints on the infield for soccer!

Here's what I ran compared to my splits back in May:

1:20, 1:21 = 2:41.6 (0.9 sec faster)
1:14.9 (1.2 sec slower)
1:18, 1:19 = 2:37.4 (2.8 sec faster)
1:13.9 (1.0 sec faster)
1:17, 1:17 = 2:34.6 (3.1 sec faster)
1:14.1 (0.7 sec slower)
1:16, 1:15 = 2:32.4 (3.2 sec faster)
1:12.8 (0.2 sec faster)

So the 400s were similar, but the 800s got faster quickly! As I was a few intervals from the end, I noted to Henry that I felt like they were fast and now I was just trying to "hold on" and keep posting some good times (I didn't know my splits from the time before, but I recalled the 800s average around 2:40). I was happy with this! That final 2:32 might be my fastest 800 interval in years.

800, 400, 800, 400, 800, 400, 800, and 400. Yep.


All fast laps. (Different than the 200s from the week before.)


They had been doing minor track repairs, and we found the "tub" of purple
rubbery bits just off the track. They were warm, and Henry loved digging through it.

Between these nice track workouts and some great long runs recently, I'm really hoping to have some good fall races!