Welcome

Still a solid workout and you got it done. We share the all or nothing personality. It makes it tough to find balance in almost everything I do.

I'm confused, are you using Strava instead of the marks on the track to figure out your pace? In any case, late summer and fall is the best time to train, no doubt. Jan/Feb (when most people get motivated) is when you want to feel lazy :-)

The splits are based on the lap button. Strava does its own splits and I just noticed that I in essence did a 3 mile tempo sub 6 which hasn't been my strong suit lately.

Ah, now I understand. I thought you meant the per mile pace of reps 3-5.

Good workout and thanks for motivating me to get it done.

Jake, I don't know how you do your track workouts solo.

I think I could use more of you "all or nothing" mentality while maybe you could benefit from my "4 weeks to marathon, better get serious, mentality" :)

It's just like regular running solo, except you have to remember to keep turning left. And you go faster.

The distinction between marathon pace and old marathon pace is important. We tend to resume training at PR marathon pace, forgetting that because marathon pace is the slow of the fast paces that it's still hard.

I watched Riley move marathon pace from just under 6 minutes to just under 5:20. Paul typically transitions into a buildup around 5:50 for marathon pace, maybe a little faster.

You ran an excellent marathon and it's hard after a race to learn that it took an entire buildup to run that pace comfortably and you can't just keep rolling. You set 3 PRS too, so that sets the bar high for the rest of 2014.

That said, myself, these days, I'm too proud to count anything much over 6:40 as marathon pace even though I've only run 1 marathon below that pace (plenty of long tempos in the 6:15-6:35 range though).

That's a very good point Jason. Your true marathon pace regresses quite a bit once the race ends. Most of the time it's no longer a realistic pace BEFORE the race is even over! :-)

I find myself in the marathon pace trap all the time. I am always trying to be under 6 because I think I should be rather than just relaxing and getting in a good workout.

I don't really even feel mentally that running 8 at 6:05-6:20 would be a workout(though I am told it is by pundits including the Lone Wolf). I can still generally run 20 in the 6:30s pretty much any time. So what good am I getting from running a "workout" 10-20 seconds faster? This is how I think. #impatientpeopledidnotbuildthepyramids

#peopledidnotbuildthepyramids

What's the purpose of a "workout"? To post impressive splits of create a stimulus for adaptation?

If it's the second one - than you see how running at 6:15 pace makes sense...

If you can run 6:30s for 20 miles anytime, that means you are very efficient at burning fat at the effort level. Drop that to 6:15 pace, and you are still probably mainly burning fat, like you should be in a marathon. Drop that to 6:00 pace, and now you're on the knife edge between two energy systems, maybe not really working either one effectively. So by erring a percent or two slower, you are making sure you are in the right zone. If you look at Mr Petersen's spring, he did the majority of his "marathon pace" miles in the 5:30s and 5:40s. I'd go out on the limb and say that worked out OK for him :-)

Thanks Jake. That's a helpful explanation. After my splits from today, I hope it's clear I don't vest my self-worth in the splits I post. It's a mental trap that affects motivation and drive day in and day out. I think I should be improving and if not, what is the goal? (this is the reevaluation to come)

I have been exhibiting a lack of patience and perhaps some arrogance by just expecting these things to come on demand.

When you have a satisfying annual input/output model like Paul, it is perhaps easier to know how the body will respond to various training stimuli and stay patient throughout the cycle. He wasn't built in just a few years.

I need to keep all this in mind.

I don't remember the times exactly but being precise is irrelevant.

2:51 at Ogden in 2013 - Huge PR - Wow!

2:36 at St. George in 2013 - Huge PR - Wowed again!

2:34 at Boston in 2014 - Huge PR - Wowest!

Still, great things to come my friend.