One Degree of Separation from Bart Yasso
Had a busy morning, so I scheduled a track workout for the afternoon. For my last hard track workout of the training cycle, I chose to do 800's, Yasso style. This is a staple track workout for me and lets me predict my marathon time and judge this workout against previous 800 workouts.
Ian got to interview Bart Yasso, who would be an unknown were it not for this gimmicky workout that bears his name. Hence the title of this blog entry. Ran down to Franklin Field just as it was getting dark. Get to the track and its a zoo. Football team is practicing and plenty of runners, with all the slow ones seemingly hogging the fifth lane. I decide to shoot for 2:35 minute intervals - theoretically predicting a 2:35 marathon time. The first lap just felt like I didn't have it, sluggish and really having to work hard to get a 2:36. This felt like it would be a long workout. Second rep went down to 2:35. Still questioning whether I had eight more of these in me. Then I just did them one at a time. Next 5 in 2:35; 2:33; 2:34: 2:35; 2:34. These were like work. I wasn't dying, but really had to bear down and execute something I couldn't get excited about doing. One at a time, they felt endless. At this point three more to go. My concentration went before my legs did, and for the next two the first 400 went slower and I had to hump it on the back 400 to get 2:36's. Going from 8 reps to 10 really fries me mentally. My gauge of how successful the workout would be culminated with rep #10 - if I nailed this one it would be a good workout. Again, the front 400 went in about 1:19 but I pulled the last 400 out to hit a 2:35. That'll do, pig, that'll do.
Last time I did these a little faster, but only did 7. That workout was accompanied by much drama, this time around it was much more a matter of just going and getting the job done. Didn't have my A game, but had work to do and brought home the bacon. While I hope I feel better on marathon day, its that businesslike approach, reminiscent of John's, Paul's, and Ryan's respective Chicago races, that I want to bring to California with me. There's a good feeling to that.
And this leaves me much more confident that a mid 2:30's finishing time at CIM is attainable. In particular, Mike's suggestion makes sense:
5:56/mile is a 2:35:30 marathon. 6:00/mile even is 2:37:19. Not trying to suggest a goal pace or time, but those are definitely in the neighborhood for you.
Going out at 6 minute pace definitely seems realistic and even a bit conservative. Go out like this for the first 17 or 18 miles, and then see how I feel. If I feel strong, I can still get a big day, if I go steady, I'll have a big day, and if I'm off, I still have a cushion to make it under 2:40.
And no kisses if I go over 2:40.
Where the miles are marked in blood and gold
I'll meet you further on up the road.
- Bruce Springsteen
Ian got to interview Bart Yasso, who would be an unknown were it not for this gimmicky workout that bears his name. Hence the title of this blog entry. Ran down to Franklin Field just as it was getting dark. Get to the track and its a zoo. Football team is practicing and plenty of runners, with all the slow ones seemingly hogging the fifth lane. I decide to shoot for 2:35 minute intervals - theoretically predicting a 2:35 marathon time. The first lap just felt like I didn't have it, sluggish and really having to work hard to get a 2:36. This felt like it would be a long workout. Second rep went down to 2:35. Still questioning whether I had eight more of these in me. Then I just did them one at a time. Next 5 in 2:35; 2:33; 2:34: 2:35; 2:34. These were like work. I wasn't dying, but really had to bear down and execute something I couldn't get excited about doing. One at a time, they felt endless. At this point three more to go. My concentration went before my legs did, and for the next two the first 400 went slower and I had to hump it on the back 400 to get 2:36's. Going from 8 reps to 10 really fries me mentally. My gauge of how successful the workout would be culminated with rep #10 - if I nailed this one it would be a good workout. Again, the front 400 went in about 1:19 but I pulled the last 400 out to hit a 2:35. That'll do, pig, that'll do.
Last time I did these a little faster, but only did 7. That workout was accompanied by much drama, this time around it was much more a matter of just going and getting the job done. Didn't have my A game, but had work to do and brought home the bacon. While I hope I feel better on marathon day, its that businesslike approach, reminiscent of John's, Paul's, and Ryan's respective Chicago races, that I want to bring to California with me. There's a good feeling to that.
And this leaves me much more confident that a mid 2:30's finishing time at CIM is attainable. In particular, Mike's suggestion makes sense:
5:56/mile is a 2:35:30 marathon. 6:00/mile even is 2:37:19. Not trying to suggest a goal pace or time, but those are definitely in the neighborhood for you.
Going out at 6 minute pace definitely seems realistic and even a bit conservative. Go out like this for the first 17 or 18 miles, and then see how I feel. If I feel strong, I can still get a big day, if I go steady, I'll have a big day, and if I'm off, I still have a cushion to make it under 2:40.
And no kisses if I go over 2:40.
Where the miles are marked in blood and gold
I'll meet you further on up the road.
- Bruce Springsteen
posted by seebo | 9:32 PM
1 Comments:
Just to be clear, I didn't so much interview Mr.Yasso as shake his hand and make small talk for a second.
We were talking about Yasso 800s on last night's run. My opinion is that the indicator goes the other way: if you can run a 2:36 marathon, you can do 10 2:36 800s.
A better indicator of a 2:36 marathon, in my opinion, is this workout:
52 x 800 in 2:58 each, no rest.
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