Kenyan Way Speed #5 - 8x400 w/ 90 SR

8x400 w/ 30 SR means I ran 400 meters eight times, with a 90 second rest between reps.

Goal time:
1:30

My times:
1:31, 1:23, 1:22, 1:22, 1:22, 1:23, 1:21, 1:17

Max HR = 176

I showed up at Memorial Park today for my 400s, and I found two guys from my long run training group at the staring line. We had the same target in mind (1:30), so I asked if I could draft off of them. Little did I know my rabbit friends were feeling good that day. I followed right behind them through the first seven, and they told me to bring it home on the last leg. A combination of inexperience setting pace and the pressure of leading these veteran marathoners led me to an "out of spec" last 400 of 1:17. This equates to approximately a 5:10/mi pace.

Of course I can't run that fast for an entire mile, but I think it is within reason that I can hit 5:15 at some point in the future. I MIGHT be able to run a 5:30 mile right now, and I'm positive I can run a 5:45 mile now even though I haven't attempted the feat.

I've been told that speed matters for marathons, but I can't figure out the connection. It seems that endurance carries you 26 miles and perhaps speed will carry you the remaining .2 miles. But I believe what I'm being told because it comes from dozens of people with hundreds of marathons under their collective belts. For an argument in the speed category, check out this post about Yasso 800s from Cory. I first heard about Yasso 800s from Cory, and read some more about in this article from Runner's World.

The goal of the Yassos is to run 10x800m at the fastest pace you can maintain. Whatever that time is, multiply it by 60 and you get your marathon time. So a 3 minute and 30 second 800 m equates to a 3 hour and 30 minute marathon. I should try to do that workout some time in the future to get an idea of a good marathon goal.