Yasso 800s

Seventeen weeks remain until the Colfax Marathon.  I've incorporated Yasso 800s into my Hal Higdon training plan, hoping to increase my strength, speed, and endurance.  Bart Yasso came up with the idea to run a series of 800 meter laps around the track in the same number of minutes as your marathon goal time.  For example, I aim to finish my first marathon between 4:00-4:20.  Therefore, two laps around the track should take about 4 minutes.  Starting small, your first workout should be around 2-3 miles total. After a few months of this, you build towards 5-6 miles at the rapid pace.  Today was my first set of Yasso's; 3 miles was a great workout!

I started out with a few laps to warm up.  Then the work began.  I had a hard time maintaining 2 minute laps, so my series of 800s varied between 3:30-3:58.  In between each 800, I took one lap at a 9:30 pace to cool down.  I ran this routine for 3 total miles.  Granted, it would be easier to maintain a consistent goal pace on a treadmill, but the track was more fun. 

Although, I am not extremely fast, I am very competitive.  It was a challenge to see if I could push just a little faster for each lap while maintaining my breathing.  Track workouts are usually my pit of despair.  I get bored easily and end up quitting early.  However, the competitive nature of the Yasso's kept me intrigued.  Could I maintain at that pace, or speed up with each progressive lap?  There was also something really peaceful about watching the sunrise over the track.  No one was around, and it was so quiet all I heard was my cadence matching my breath.  

For the next 15 weeks, I've scheduled one Yasso workout a week, adding 1-2 additional 800s each week until I reach 6 miles.  While I can't verify whether the workout will really train my legs to run at my goal pace for 26.2 miles, I can definitely appreciate the speed workout compared to my slow distance runs that I've become so attached to.  Varying the speed creates a balanced training diet.  It will also be interesting to see how this workout improves my 5K pace.

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