Yasso 800s in 2*C

Plan - track session at the AIS
Session - Yasso 800s - 4 x 800m in 3.40min (3.40min RI)
Total kms run (inc warmup/cooldown) - approx 6.5km

Went to the Team Moore track session Thursday evening - it was freezing. After the snowfalls on Wednesday, the weather had only warmed up marginally. Driving to the AIS I heard that the temperature at 5.30pm was 2*C - brrrrr. Wearing 4 layers on top and leggings, gloves and headband, I joined the group to do a warm up run outside the athletics stadium, heading along the cycle path and then back to the track. While others were doing some version of parlouf relays I decided to try Yasso 800s as part of my marathon training. According to my Complete Book of Running (Runner's World) Bart Yasso would include the following workout as part of his marathon training - repeats of 800s in the same time, in minutes, as his marathon goal time, in hours/minutes, and jog for the same number of minutes that it took to run the repeat eg goal is to do a 3hr 30min marathon, then run 800s in 3.30mins and jog for 3.30min after each repeat.

Anyway, I decided that my goal marathon time will be 3hr 40min so the plan was to do 800s in 3.40min. I managed to do 4 repeats, with the same amount of time jogging in between each repeat.

1 - 3.30min
2 - 3.30min
3 - 3.33min
4 - 3.38min

Hmmm - its not easy trying to run to a goal pace but was starting to get the hang of it by the 4th repeat. I was also starting to feel comfortable running the repeats as well. However, others had finished their relays and were doing cool down laps so I joined them. Will try this workout again next week but maybe not at the track as there is not enough time to complete the workout. I should increase by one repeat every week until about 2 weeks out, so have another 2 repeats to go....yikes!!!.....is it that close to the marathon?!!! Maybe I'll increase by 2 repeats each week for the next 2 weeks.