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Written by Bwana Bwana

September 10, 2015

And just like that, Summer was over. Well, not before it blasted participants in the 3rd Annual Mount Nittany Marathon with infernal heat and soul-sucking humidity. And those conditions got worse in the following days, reaching a crescendo on Wednesday. But just in time for the first Thursday Track session of the Fall season, the rains came and the temperatures dropped about 20 degrees. Tom Cali, Judd and Davis Michael, Lance Bland, Ken Davis, Andy Maguire, CJ Wagner, Meira Minard, Seth Senior, Melissa Davies, newcomer Lauren Losey, Mike Zimmerman, Bob Shafer, Mike Martin, Alex Wouden, Rich Harter, David Lloyd, and Marty Mazur headed for the track under drab skies and a bit of drizzle.

Bwana welcomed a newcomer, Lauren Losey, who was brought aboard by Melissa Davies. And then on to business. Fall weather means higher volume workouts, or at least longer reps. So Bwana gave a version of the Front-Loader workout. In this case, run an Imperial Mile in the outside lane (hewing to the secret Imperial markings) at about 10K race pace. Then, after a rest of the distance left over from the mile finish to the starting line (close to 300 meters, not much rest), do an Imperial Half at a bit more elevated pace. Then, after a rest of the distance left over from the half-mile finish to the starting line (a little over 100m), go at an Imperial Quarter at as close to mile race pace as you can manage. After this, you’ll have about 60 meters rest before you start your last Imperial Quarter. See if you can manage to keep that same quick pace after such a short rest! The whole workout has to be managed right. It’s a downward ladder, but with ever decreasing rests between steps as well!

It’s good to get some long Imperial reps in before the Empress of Ice and Snow makes the outdoor track inhospitable. We all know how dull long reps on the indoor track can be. Get out for the long runs now and as the seasons change their royal robes!