Tuesday Quality Workout:

1 mile warm up and cool down. with drills to start.

Workout: Warhurst aka Michigan.

.84 of mile at MGP followed by 400 on track @ 5k pace.

From Ruth's email:

The origin of the Warhurst can be traced back the University of Michigan coach Ron Warhurst. “Each of the athletes whose names appear on the plaques, and most other distance runners who have run for Michigan during Warhurst’s tenure, have endured his famous grueling training run: the Michigan. Incoming freshmen are scared to death the first day we do a Michigan because they have heard about it,” Warhurst said. “It is probably one of the most challenging things we do, but the kids love it.”

To read more about the history of the workout follow this link:

http://www.michigandaily.com/content/completing-michigan-no-easy-task-m-runners

We will modify the “Michigan” workout from the original that Ron Warhurst gave his athletes. Instead, we will run a 1-1.5 mile loop at tempo pace. Then, we’ll enter the track (or a different section of road, depending on your location) to do a faster-paced portion for 400 meters. The loop, plus the 400 on the track, equals 1 set. After a set, runners get water & take no more than a 2-minute break. Beginners do 2 sets, intermediate 3 sets and advanced 4 sets.

This was a good workout. Point is to form lactic acid in the legs, fatigue them, then run at marathon goal pace. it worked.

Afterwards I met with Coach Scott. We discussed my marathon training plan. I'm looking to run a higher overall mileage for this training season. Also will be running to break 4 hrs. There are new components to this training that I've not yet done, such as the medium long run. So we discussed goals and expectations of this training. He started it with a good question that essentially dictates our approach to the training. Asking what is the main goal, break 4 hrs or run high mileage? I told him that the main goal is a multi-year, multi-marathon plan. Houston is a stepping stone to bigger goals. To reach goals I have for next fall I need to run higher mileage in this training season. He got it, he's with me on it. We have a good focus going forward and we are both on the same page. So I'm psyched. I'll need to keep tabs on things throughout the training season, if I'm getting tired, or sore, or can't do the quality workouts then it's too much. I need to be particularly disciplined about this.

After meeting with Scott headed next door to Progress and hung out with Paul and Eric. Had a cup of their most excellent coffee. I like their Progress blend. We talked training, education, and politics. I think the coffee really took over at one point and we were fairly out of control. The combination of an early morning, running, coffee, and politics is a dangerous combination. Paul about had us jumping on the Libertarian bandwagon, but we quickly gathered our wits and headed off to work. (although I will say I am a bit more skeptical of the bailout now)

Good day of running.