Workout of the Day
4 x 1 Mile, 5 x 400m
Splits:
1 Mile: 5:04.1 / 4:59.3 / 5:00.2 / 5:00.7
400m: 68.6 / 69.7 / 69.6 / 69.9 / 67.8
Recovery: 400m jog in 3' after each 1 Mile rep. 200m jog
Tara Welling — March 21st, 2016
Context & Details
Tara was slated to make a run at the Olympic A Standard in the 10,000m of 32:15.00 at the Stanford Invite on April 1st of 2016. This workout was her final tune-up session before her run at the mark.
Tara was fresh off a strong run at the USATF 15K Road Race Championships earlier that month, winning her first national title on the road. Often when athletes are in career form, it pays to be cautious. Therefore, we wanted to see how in control she could run each rep of this workout. Nothing fancy. No going all out. Training, not straining.
What I will remember most is the composure in which she completed this session. She didn't outwardly express much strain. The recovery intervals were more than generous. She looked and reported feeling powerful and strong while running that day. These are markings of an athlete being in a special form.
This workout played little part in developing her fitness for the upcoming 10K. It was merely a reflection of the shape she was in. The true cause of her newfound ability was the product of 4 - 5 months of stout, consistent, focused, and sustained training. And that is the key takeaway here, knowing when the real work has been done and when to savor the exceptional fitness an athlete has earned, as this workout required.
Tara showed maturity and restraint during this session (she was itching to go faster, but held back) and left it no worse for the wear. At the Stanford Invite 10 days later, she raced to a new lifetime best of 32:00 and achieved the Olympic A standard she sought, proving good things come to those who wait and who are poised to strike when opportunity knocks.
Any questions? I'm happy to answer. You can send me a Direct Message on Twitter or email me at jmarcus.hpw@gmail.com
Thx // jm