Speed Play

Sun- 7 miles- 58min (fartlick session w/ striders, drills, fast fun)

Today I did something different. I ran in the "forest" part of base....an area where they have run an extensive network of "gray water" hoses that come from the water treatment facility. They irrigate with this water about 6-8 rows of bushes and desert trees. Within this clump of living greenery is a sand path that makes a circle and two straight road-like paths. I run in there frequently, but the straights are only 300m long and the circle is about 300m as well, so not a long area to run. But one can do repeats right?! So yesterday I did true speed play as the term fartlick means. I mainly did a lot of striders accelerating from a dead stop to top end and hold for a brief period and gradually decelerate. I also did a bunch of plyometric drills like skipping, carioka, some bounding and explosive form running that I have not done in a long time. When in junior college I used to do these a lot and really had my best stretch of non-injured running and improvement. Maybe its time to put some of this back into play. Especially since I am a trail runner and currently training without trails. Kinda like a mountain bike specialist doing nothing but road biking. Beneficial yes, but not specific enough.

1. Easy day
2. easy with drills and striders
3. longer with threshold or marathon pace work
repeat, repeat, repeat, repeat.......................................