This workout was challenging. However: A year ago I would not have been able to jog inbetween the 600 m hard sections - I would have had to walk. Not only was I able to jog the recovery intervals, I was fully recovering during them. I felt like I was maxing out on each 600 m hard run, but then I’d recover and realize I could do it again. And again. And again. I think I could have done one more, though I would have had to really push for it.

The cadence work continues to blow my mind. Instead of reaching forward to lengthen my stride like I would have done in the past (over striding, which would also drop my cadence), I’m engaging more with the ground while maintaining the same high cadence, which creates that really beautiful effortless kickback that super experienced runners do. (I don’t quite look like that, but I’m headed in that direction. I’d always wondered how tf they did that without overtaxing their posterior chain. Now I know.) It transfers effort to lungs and heart, not so much my legs (all the hamstring and glute work I’ve been doing has been perfect to prep for this!) Like 🤯🤯🤯 at the thought that my legs continue to last longer and longer! So today I focused on breathing steadily for the hard intervals (2 counts inhale on the metronome, 2 counts exhale, was the perfect rhythm), while trusting that my legs could do the work.

I cannot get over this newfound ability of putting my legs in a specific gear and knowing that they’ll stay there without me having to think about it.

I feel like I keep raving about past vs present with my running (and cycling), but at this time last year I was still trying to run with the Runna app and STRUGGLING so much. I vividly remember bursting into tears halfway through my runs because I felt like such a failure. Back then, I was in a really awful headspace to begin with and my training wasn’t helping.

My fastest mile ever has been 8:23. It was on a cold pre-dawn run last December. I’m super happy with my 9 minute mile today, since that involved a combined pace for 600 meters + part of a 400 meter rest block!!!! It means I was FLYING for 600 meters!