Comment From GZ

GZ asked a good question in his comment from yesterday's post:
"I have been mulling this over ... is there a significant difference between this workout and say doing a 2 mile warm up in 13, and then banging out a 8 mile tempo run @ 5:40 pace? It seems to me that the difference in pace is so subtle, that it is perhaps more psychological than physiological?"
First off-.. if you're only a few miles north of me, why aren't we running together? Second- beer and Christmas cookies? Sounds like a champion's diet to me;) I had a few Black Butte Porters this evening, sans cookies though.
I think there is a huge difference between these two structures. There is a distinct possibility that my results are not what Mr. Canova had intended, but the gist of the session is to run at your marathon goal pace, then ease up slightly to just a little slower than goal pace. This is supposed to stimulate AeT much more effectively than running at AeT. Could I have run 8 miles at goal pace.. sure, but I think the metabolic stimulation would have been much different. Running 1000's at 5:30 pace- my HR was higher and I was producing more lactate. With the recoveries not so slow I was able to recover only slightly but still stimulate my AeT fitness. So, is 8 miles at 5:40 pace equal to the 5 miles I ran at 5:30 pace? I don't think so.
The workout that you did today was impressive too! I think it lends itself more towards true "speed" work or a good 10k race. Your paces today were above my LT.. I would love to someday be able to complete your workout and think I am running near marathon pace!
I think this workout could progress in volume and be more effective. Doing 8-10 X 1 mile in 5:30 with 800 recoveries in 3:00 would be studly.
Chuck- if you read this you may have a more eloquent and shinier 2 cents.