Location: Memorial Park track
Distance: 5.7 mi
Temp: 85, dripping humidity. 

Ok, they wasn't actually called Death Bursts, but that's pretty descriptive.  The workout was 800m kick-yo-ass intervals.  Run 600m at 800m pace, then recover for 100m, and then do an all out sprint for the last 100m.   Do 400m for recovery, then repeat. 8 times.  I barely managed to eke out 4.  

We started out with a 2 mile warmup, then arrived at the track.  It was so humid, I was already soaked by the time we finished the warmup.  

Started the workout. The first one was difficult, but I managed to get through it.  By the end of the second one, I knew I wouldn't be able to make it to 8.  After the third one, I decided I was going to stop at 4.  

My paces for each 800m:
1: 8:46
2: 9:33
3: 8:43
4: 10:19

When I started on my 3rd 800m, Matt ran next to me, coaching me for the final 100m.  He said to use the 100m recovery, and as I begin the final 100m sprint, to imagine a train conductor slowly increasing the speed so that I'm at my max at the end.  And remember to pump my arms.  So, as I started the final 100m, I focused on the gradual increase in speed and pumping with my arms…..and suddenly I was running really fast.  I mean, like reaallly fast (for me).  Like run from the cops fast.  I totally surprised myself.  I crossed the line marker, and started my recovery (aka, gasping for air and fighting the urge to lie down in the grass).  Matt ran past, and I'm pretty sure he said something really encouraging, but my brain wasn't registering.   He's really a great coach, and I really appreciate the motivational instructions/tips - he really helps me pull out more effort that I didn't know was there.  I'm sure when I'm finishing NYC, I'll hear him saying "pump those arms!"  

I tried a 4th interval, but I was done.  The last interval was more of a recovery lap than anything else, and while the last 100m was nowhere near the effort of the previous one, I started seeing spots at the end.   hmm, not good.  I flopped onto the bench and stayed put until everyone was done.  The humidity, and that crazy sprint, zapped everything out of me.  Even Hoang said he was drained.  I would have been happy to lie down on the bench for a quick nap. 

Despite the humidity, it was a good workout.  I partly dread Chip's workouts because they're usually really hard - but ultimately, I know those will make me a better runner.   

Check out the super-cool speed graph generated by Garmin for the intervals.  Notice the overall drop in speed over each interval.  Garmin rocks.