Steve,
Good points. I just wanted to hit on your 3rd take away regarding the tempo runs and how this relates to the 99.9999% of us who may not be running <5min pace for 13.1 miles.
Since posting this, I’ve had a few exchanges w/ athletes specifically discussing those tempo runs and commenting on how amazingly *fast *they were. The conversation typically looks something like:
John Doe: I can’t believe how fast Patrick does his tempo runs.
Brian: What is your targeted ½ marathon time?
JD: 1:45 (8min miles)
Brian: Do you think 8min miles are ‘fast’
JD: No
I’m sure Patrick doesn’t consider a 4:51 mile overly fast either (his ½ marathon pace).
With that, (and trust me, a 4:50 mile is fast in my mind so I am not at all down-playing Patrick’s speed - just want to put it in perspective to his ability). As you mention nearly all of these tempo runs were at or near his GRP (Goal Race Pace). Below are the last (2) tempo runs Patrick did before the ½:
1/9/08****
Scheduled Workout(s): **
PM: 8 mile Tempo + w/u & c/d
Distance: 12 miles (TOTAL)
Cumulative Distance This Week: 40 miles
Time: 38:58 (8 mile Tempo)
Avg Pace Per Mile: 4:52
Temperature: 51-60F
Comments: 2 x 4 miles with 4:00 recovery on the Boulevard.
19:30 (4:52 pace)
19:28 (4:51)
Started out much easier on the first 4 mile, 9:55 at two miles, whereas at 2 miles in the second 4 mile I was 9:43. Good day, still a slight tingle in the achilles/calf. Will see Mark tomorrow for that. Had an Endurox R4 right after.
1/3/08****
Scheduled Workout(s): 10K Tempo + w/u & c/d
Distance: 13.2 miles
Cumulative Distance This Week:* 64 miles*
Time: 30:10 (10K)
Avg Pace Per Mile: 4:51
Temperature: 31-40F
Comments: Warm-up 4, cool down 3.
10k tempo on Cherokee (2 loops)
15:20* (4:56 pace)
14:45 (4:45)*
My times are off a bit, need to see what GW had. For now it looks good. Felt good. A bit tougher since it was so cold but was tolerable. Solid effort, Endurox R4 as soon as I was done.
If this were John Doe athlete from above who was aiming for a 1:45 ½ marathon, the January 3 workout could look like:
4 mile easy warm-up
10K in <50mins (8min mile pace)
3 mile easy cool down
I doubt most 1:45 ½ marathoners would view this workout as remarkably fast.
The point I am trying to make is that in reality, Patrick’s tempo runs weren’t overly *fast *(for him). Just as the above workout wouldn’t be overly *fast *for that 1:45 ½ marathoner. I believe it’s important to keep things in perspective when viewing the training programs of the elites and when comparing workouts, times, etc… to see how these may fit into your program by correlating like times.
Many times we will see 1:45 ½ marathoners trying to do a workout as above, but banging our 7’s or 7:15’s (MUCH faster than his/her GRP). Why is that? The key when viewing Patrick’s program is that these tempo runs are almost always right at the pace he was projected to run the ½ at, which he did. Those last (2) tempo runs were done at 4:51 and :52 pace respectively, and he ran 4:51 pace for the ½ (this should tell us all something when designing our own training plans and just how *fast *we need to run).
Sorry for the ramble, I just believe Steve’s key take-aways are things we can all learn from even if we’re not going to be cracking 1:04 in the ½ anytime soon!
