Sept 13 - Tough 4x1 milers at tracks

The last time 4x1 mile repeats were held, I did 7:47, 7:30, 7:20 and 7:02. The relative speed in the last couple of miles was satisfying, but the large spread was indicative of the fact that I should have pushed more in the first couple. So, this time I was determined to do close to 7:30 repeats right from the start.

I made a mistake, and did not do that. Instead, I went overboard and did the first mile in 7:20 (I was feeling good). And the second one in 7:18. But the third mile brought out the consequences. I had aimed to hold 7:20 in the last two miles. That means a 1:50 400m lap. However, after the first lap (1:50) in the third mile, I was barely able to do a 1:52 in the 2nd lap, and while consciously trying to catch up in the 3rd lap I was still able to manage only a 1:55 in the 3rd (so 7 seconds behind for a 7:20 mile by now). Thanks to Rajeev who pushed me in the last lap I was able to do a 1:53 in the last lap to finish with a 7:25. But I was pretty spent by that time. The story was pretty similar in the last mile where the fast last lap helped counteract the time deficits of laps 2 and 3. I ended the last mile in 7:24.

Clearly, I pushed the limit here. Now that I know what it is, next time I do mile repeats, I will try a 7:30 in the first two miles and then see how I am feeling.