First track workout of the year (6x800m)

I am feeling more confident about my endurance these days and decided it was time to start some track workouts. I did my warm up to Joe Walker MS (1.5 miles) and did another two laps on the track. Then I did a few strides and some skips and butt kicker drills and started into the workout. I decided to run 800s for a first track workout, because it is not too long but not too short. I planned on 5 or 6 sets and wanted to run each one a little faster than the last. I figured I should be able to run them all at least around 3 minutes with a one lap recovery jog.

Here's how it went down:

3:02, 2:58, 2:55, 2:52, 2:47, 2:44

Cool down back home for a total of 8 miles for the workout.
I was very pleased with how I was able to run the last 3 under 2:55. I felt like I could have done a few more. Wednesday morning is going to be my new track workout day. I will be varying the workout each week over the next two months. The plan is to slowly increase the volume of intervals. Today I get credit for 4800m of work. I will build up to 6 to 7000m of total volume by the fall.

The Badwater Ultra was this week. No one broke the 24 hour mark this year. 2008 winner Jorge Pacheco started off on pace but had to stop for an hour due to stomach cramps and his pace slowed for the rest of the race. He ended up 6th. Also 2008 female winner Jamie Donaldson, broke her own course record with a time of 26 hours 16 minutes 12 seconds. This was her 3rd Badwater win. She runs very even and picking off runners late in the race. After Furnace Creek (mile 17) she was in 13th place and worked her way up to a 3rd place over all finish. See results here.

I found a cool blog of another Badwater runner Dominic Grossman who ended up 11th. His website is ultrapt.blogspot.com but I can't figure out if he is a PT or not. He did a Gatorade commercial...check it out.

Gatorade "Dominic" from BlipMobile on Vimeo.