Eight 800's

I'm currently sitting in a bath filled with ice; my legs feel heavy, I'm hoping the ice bath performs it magic like it likes to do.

Went to the track this morning to do 8x800's. I will say it out loud right now: I am not a fan of Yasso's 800's. Most everyone in my running world knows this about me. It's not because I don't think they are worthwhile, because they are; but I think they *can potentially* give you a false sense of confidence. Yasso claims that if you can run 10 800's at a certain pace/minute (4 minutes, for instance) than you can run a marathon in that time in hours for a marathon (4 hours). I'm sure it works for some. I also know it does not for others. And while the 800's are certainly great for speed work, I would never tell my clients or running friends that if they ran consistent 10x800's they will produce that time in a marathon. If I believed this, then I'd be cranking out a 3:27 marathon and well...I'm too wise to believe that.

So I went to the track today not to Yasso's 800's but to do 800 intervals. I'm all for speed work, despite how much I really don't enjoy it. Who enjoys that much pain? Ha. But they do feel good when you're done...that sense of accomplishment having completed something very arduous.

Did 5 of them at the track then the middle school track I was on was overrun with some camp and the high school track was occupied with football players so I decided to go home and ran the last 3 on my treadmill. 3:31, 3:25, 3:25, 3:27, 3:30, 3:31, 3:31, 3:31. Them were tough, I definitely felt them. And I felt my glute running them :(. I decided it was time to go get it massaged and hope he can just dig in there deep and undo the knot that's just causing me so much grief. This afternoon, when I was trying to do some sitting and writing, I couldn't. I find the only relief I can get is to lie on my stomach and get all pressure off of the glute. Of course, I can't stay in this position for long as it causes my back to ache....

Met Dennis tonight at the park for a very, very easy 4 miles. It was actually 5 miles but we walked and talked at least a mile. He's been out of town for awhile so it was nice to get caught up. Dennis is still having some pretty bad hip pain ... I think he needs to go see a sports doctor since this thing has been lingering for the past 9 months. But he won't.

Out of the ice bath and feeling refreshed :).

10 miles run