5k prediction work-out

I recently read a post about a prediction workout for 5k and I had (almost)the same workout planned for today. What a nice coincidence, isn't it? (Ok, it is not a complete coincidence since person that proposed the prediction workout created my training plan.)

Work-out goes as follows: Proper warm-up, followed by 4 km tempo (half marathon pace), 3 minutes easy jog. 5 X 1 km with 90-120 seconds easy jog between. The sum of the 1 km repeats should predict my 5 km race time.

My plan called for the same except that I did 4k at 4:19 pace (I do not know what my 1/2marathon pace would be, but probably slower...), then 3 min FULL rec (I had to go to bathroom, so I even sat for couple seconds:), but I made it in 3min) and I took 120sec jog between intervals.
Other thing is that my workout called for running 1k intervals at 5k pace so obviously it should predict my 5k race. But the question was, CAN I DO IT????
If I can then I might become confident enough to believe that I can hold 1:35 per 400m for 12.5 laps.

Onto the workout:
It did not start that great. I do not know what happened when I was leaving locker room but as I stoop up from sitting on a bench I felt a pain in a muscle around hip/hamstring/quad area (how is that for scientific explanation?).
But it was only for a short moment and then it was away.
I warmed up for 2miles, stretched, warmed-up the body (neck, arms, shoulders, core, legs, that's what we, Europeans, do)and started strides. During the second stride, the pain was back. And it was worse. So I walked for a bit, did not try to stretch it because it was even worse, just tried to loosen it up.
I told to myself, I am done with strides, let's see how it goes for tempo, which is slower than strides.

I usually struggle first 800-1200m ( I usually have to start at 4:25ish and then try to pick it up to move to 4:20ish) but this time, I felt great from the beginning. Hip/hamstring/quad muscle bothered me a bit for first few strides but then I have not heard from it since. Cool.
4k tempo 17:17, which is 4:19/k pace (6:54/mile if anyone is wondering). Cool. Started at sub 4:20 and then just effortlessly kept it there.

Quick 3min pit-stop and on to 1k repeats.

My plan was to try to do them @ 3:55 and see how that goes.
First one: 3:52. Close enough. Of course I started too fast but managed to slow myself down.
2nd: Oh, my legs are tired. Oh, wait that's because I am running 3:40 pace. But do not worry only for first 200m. 3:52 again. Ah, what the heck, forget about 3:55 and try to keep it at 3:52.
3rd: 3:50. No feelings worth mentioning during this one. Felt pretty good.
4th: Ok, my legs are getting tired for real now. But nothing unmanageable. I felt controlled. 3:48
5th: Still feeling controlled although last 150m were starting to be painful. My arms were hurting. Legs did not hurt, just felt tired. 3:46

I think I still had something left in tank to be able to do 1-2 repeats before crashing exhausted on the track.

I managed to do it! Am I more confident? Hm, I do not know...Probably yes. I am sure I can run faster than 21min, and I should be able to run faster than 20min. It will all be about my mental strength, but I am working on it. I am telling to myself that this time, I am going to do it! Run as hard as I can and be exhausted at the finish line. This time, I will not worry about burning before the finish. It will be better to burn at 4.5k mark than to have enough fuel to run another 5k at the same pace!


By the way, my reasoning behind dropping Goethe class did not work out that well today. I still was not able to do weights immediately after work-out. Because I forgot I had swimming immediately afterwards. (You ask me how I could have forgotten? Well, this was only 2nd session and it was on Wednesday last time, so my mind is not set up for that yet).
So I went there after my running workout. People there are no stars, we do not swim that fast, so it is not like I will injure myself or anything doing this back to back.
We warmed-up and then did 5x50m fast, 50m very slowly, 5x50m fast. I do not know what I was hitting for 50m and I did not really care. It was actually fun. I like swimming a lot. And there were 5 of us so I has some company, not my usual alone rides and runs. Then some cool down and run to class.

And guess what. I was EXHAUSTED in that class. I really like this class (and it has nothing to do with smokn' H professor, who is by the way German. I have a weakness for Germans, not sure why) so that's the only thing that kept me awake.

I am still exhausted.
I was thinking about doing weights after class, but I do not think so...

Some friends are meeting for volleyball so I might go check that out.

Rather no. I need to do some school work and I am starving.

5k race I want to do is on Oct 31. I still have not signed up. I do not know whether I should sign up. I mean, I want to race it, but I am worried that ITB will start acting up and than I will loose that money.
I do not have any ITB problems now, but it always come suddenly without any prior notice. But what if it is sold out by then? I do not know....

Ok, I just got a call that I have to come to volleyball because they do not have enough players. I am off.

PS: Can you tell I am little bored since I have time to write these long nonsenses about nothing here?