Road Racing & Training Thread: Week Ending 1/8/2023

Now that I think about it, I did a similar workout before a half marathon a few years ago. I did it about 3 weeks out if I recall. It was similar to what you'd call an "Honest 10" although I was less than honest. I remember starting to feel that "pressure" in the legs that makes it harder to maintain pace around Mile 8 but I pushed through the last 2 miles. I think it's kind of similar to what you did but my first few miles were much "harder" than yours in your "Honest 10". Mile 1 was only about 10 seconds slower than average pace. Also my Honest 10 took a lot longer than yours. Mine was 60:30-ish. Yours was WELL under an hour. So the "time duration" component to the stress on your Honest 10 was a lot less.

The reason I bring up this workout is because I've been afraid to run that hard in training since. My half marathon race 3 weeks later was the worst I've ever felt in a race of that distance. My average power (Stryd) was way, way higher in the workout than it was in the actual race! So I definitely did something wrong and I wonder if the key mistake wasn't in those first few miles of the workout. My other option would have been to abort the workout early of course.

Long story short, I think I've learned something by the combination of my experience above and your experience here.

I'd like to follow up my last post with another relevant observation. Prior to my strong 10 mile run, I had heard an interview by Steve Jones, former WR holder in the marathon (I believe?).

He said that he believed that people today are too afraid to run hard in training. So I shook my fears and look what happened! hahah.

I do think there is truth to what he's saying though. I believe the mystery is in the application of "hard".

I do think he has a point there but it's also about choosing when to run hard. I will say that up until this past year I was scared about my ability to knock out a sub 5 or heck even average sub 5 for any race longer than 5K. The hard 10 broke through that wall for me and I didn't have that fear weighing over me.

From looking at my logs I bombed my 2x 3 mile @ hmp final workout three weeks out from running a PR at NYC last year lol.

Could have been that you may have left your race in that workout. I think that's where workouts like these are probably best off earlier and not necessarily as your final big workout. I think these workouts tend to leave us way to susceptible to hammering it out because you're fit where as a simulator workout where you get used to the rhythm of your goal pace may suit you better. Something like a 3-4 x 2 mile w/ 1 mile float or a 2 x 3 mile with a mile float. Last marathon block I did 4-4-3 during my long run and I recovered well from that.