Long Run with 2x10 Minute Efforts

I realized I may have timed this poorly as I did 2x2 mile intervals 3 days before this run, so that was a 11.5 minute effort, 3 minutes of walking, and another 11.5 minute effort... that's not a WHOLE lot different than this 10 minute effort, 5 minutes of easy running, and another 10 minute effort. Oops. But for what it's worth, that's how I did these workouts back-to-back in 2024 where I ended up running a sub-60 TC 10 Mile, so I guess it worked back then.

I was ready to GO HARD on this workout! My "normal" long run is 11.5 miles with 37 minutes or so being hard in the middle. This run was also going to be about 11.5 miles, but only 20 minutes of hard running in the middle, so I was going to make it count (make it hurt!). I've noticed that for the most part, Coach Jen's workouts have SHORTER but FASTER efforts than I'm used to doing on my own. I'm 100% sure she knows more about training than I do, so I'm trying to work that into my normal routines a bit more. (But as I age, I prefer to just go farther and easier, so it's hard...)

After a warm-up, I got straight to work. I was aware of my splits from 2 years ago: I covered 1.66 and 1.69 miles in each of the 10 minute intervals. I noted it was a hot run 2 years ago, so I was out to break those on a nice 64 degree morning:

Efforts from (half-mile) splits 6-10, and again from 12-16 (12 is hidden under 15).
Then MODERATE for the rest of the way home... not EASY.


Seeing some of the first interval peaking out from under the moderate cool-down.


The out-and-back final interval.

My first half-mile split was 3:07... slow. But it was the most "technical" part of the run on some uneven sidewalks. I reeled it back in for the next split with a 2:53! And my 3rd half-mile split was 2:49, so I was flying: I had 1:10 left before hitting 10 minutes, and that was more time than either interval 2 years ago, so I was going to out-do my 1.66 and 1.69 mile intervals.

First 10 minute effort:

3:07, 2:53, 2:49, 1:10 = 1.70 miles (5:52 pace)

It was at 1.70 for a moment, so I was REALLY HOPING it was going to tic over to 1.71 miles before I had to take the split at 10 minutes. D'oh.

My recovery ended with a big uphill, and my second effort started just as I was cresting the top. I was still trying to hit this hard. Here were my splits:

Second 10 minute effort:

2:52, 2:58, 2:52, 1:17 = 1.73 miles (5:46 pace)

So that's an official PR for this workout! Instead of 1.66 and 1.69 miles like I ran 2 years ago, I ran 1.70 and 1.73 miles. Nice.

The two 10 minute efforts, followed by moderate (then easy for the final 5 minutes).


HAPPY WITH THOSE SPLITS!!

Over the last few years, I've been more "endurance" focused, and oddly enough, that helped me with this workout. Running hard just 2 times for ONLY 10 minutes each feels like NOTHING because I'm so used to longer distance running that I could really GO AT IT HARD. So being overly endurance trained helps me to hit this short-feeling speed workout harder.