Last night I had my worst interval training *EVER*. I warmed up for 2 miles, and then I wanted to do sub-4 minute 1000 meters. I was actually aiming for 3:55 - two weeks ago I did 7x600 at that pace, and though it was hard, I could do it. Yesterday, the first was OK, I ran 3:54, but in the second lap of the second interval, I just lost it. The strength left my legs, and my heart couldn't keep up. I slowed down to the last 200 meters so much that I finished with 4:04. I almost decided to go home, but then I changed my mind and decided to finish the workout. I had to give up on the pace and I just ran the 1000s by feel around my VO2 max. I am ashamed to admit that the last three intervals were ~4:15 each. That was the best I could do.

I have no idea what caused the problem. Maybe I'm not ready, or just don't have the physical capabilities to go under 20 minutes. I have had a lot of stress at work and in private life lately, but this had never influenced my running before. I also was so busy yesterday at work that I barely drank anything until 3pm, but then I started to hydrate like crazy, and I only ran at 10pm.

Before my run last night I was hesitating if I should do the prescribed 10K time trial or a 4-mile tempo. I decided to do something in between. Part of the reason was that the university track was locked again (grrr) when I got there. There is a 1/2 mile "cardio path" around the track, which is a winding, slightly rolling path, with one 14 foot hill in the middle. So I decided to warm up for 2 miles, and then do 6 miles at 7 min/mile pace.

My first half mile was at 6:30 pace, so I slowed down a bit, but my first mile was still 6:38. Then I started to knock down 7:0x miles. By the fifth mile I was quite tired, and it was 7:07, but I got myself together and my last mile was 6:57. Altogether: 6 miles in 41:50. This pace translates to 43:19 10K, which would be a PR, but it only shows how soft my 10K PR is.

Last spring I ran 42:06 on a track training session on 10K, but the track is definitely easier, and I was probably more fit, simply because I had longer training before that. I was also much more motivated. So I guess I should say again: I am where I am supposed to be.