Why do Yasso 800’s? + 12 things from the day.

Just a little singing in the car to Let it Go from Frozen (below Brooke is singing GO very loudly).

The day actually started off with a request for a Mickey pancake.  Due to the fact that I woke up ridiculously early and couldn’t go back to sleep we had all sorts of time to do things like this:

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It was a Yasso 800’s day for me.  A sweet reader had emailed me the night before about something really hard she was going through and how she used Yasso 800’s that day to pound it out:)  She inspired me to do the same.  I was not feeling speedwork in the slightest but after 2 miles of a warm-up, I was ready to get started.

2 mile w/u

8 x .5 mile repeats (the classic yasso 800’s workout is usually 10 x 800m (or .5 miles).  3:05, 3:03, 3:04, 3:02, 3:02, 3:02, 3:00, 2:58.  Once again, when I do speedwork on the treadmill I don’t start counting the repeat until the treadmill is up to speed… I want to make sure I am getting in the full interval at the fast pace.  I’ll build up to ten repeats.

.25-.3 recovery jog after each repeat

.8 mile cool-down.

9 miles total

The repeats ranged from 5:56-6:10 average pace which was faster than I expected but those last two HURT.  That took some serious brain power to keep the legs moving.  It was one of those times where I focus more on pumping my arms to avoid thinking about how my legs are telling me to stop.

Launch 4s for w/u & c/d and Hyperion for everything in between.

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Okay, SO I wanted your opinion on Yasso 800’s?  They say that the workout can be a predictor for your marathon time (i.e. if you average 3 minutes and 30 seconds for your 10 repeats ((with equal recovery time after each repeat)), then you will run around a 3 hour and 30 minute marathon).  For me personally… I can’t say that Yasso 800’s are a predictor of my marathon time.   A year and a half ago I was running on average 2 minutes and 45 seconds for my 10 Yasso 800’s and I wasn’t anywhere near in the shape to be running a 2 hour and 45 minute marathon at that time.   While they might not be an accurate time predictor for me, are they for you?  I’m sure they are for some people!!!

So why do I do them?   Because it is still a killer workout, I just don’t think it will show me exactly where I am at for the marathon.  I think it builds strength, speed and to learn to mentally push myself… but I think the tempo run or fast finish long runs (below) are a better way to see where I am at for your marathon time.

This article talks about why they think Yasso 800’s don’t predict marathons times and offer an idea on a better workout to predict your marathon time:

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Now for 12 more things from our day.

1.  Andrew bought me the coolest car accessory.  My hydro flask doesn’t fit into my normal cup holder so it is usually rolling all over the place in the car.  He found a little cupholder that does fit the bottle that goes into my car cupholder.  It’s the little things that make me happy… like not spilling my water bottle all over the car anymore. You can find it HERE!

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2.  Brooke was upset that Beretta couldn’t go on errands with us.  If she could be with this dog 24/7, she would.

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3.  Back to the tomato soup and grilled cheese sandwich thing… mainly because we were too lazy to make anything else.

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4.  Late in the afternoon Brooke hung out over at my sister’s house for a bit.

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5.  She made sure to attack me before she went inside of course.

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6.  THIS SUNSET.

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7.  Two hours of no cell phones (picture at the end), no distractions, no nothing… felt so good.

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8.   Picked up Brooke and headed over to my parent’s house to be with them.  Brooke’s adventurous food side makes me really happy.  She snacked on pistachios and snap peas while we all chatted.

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9. We had such a good talk with them.  I reminded Brooke while we were there about when we used to live there a few years ago.  Brooke was just a one year old when we lived in the basement for about a year.   She took her first steps here, started calling me Elmo (instead of mom) while we lived here and I would go run at 5 a.m. every morning to make sure I was there right when she woke up:)  Good times.

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10.  Nothing like leaving your parents house at 8 and making it for an 8:30 dinner (Brooke had eaten dinner at my sister’s house but we hadn’t).  Salad bars and pizza and some American Girl Doll browsing.

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11.  A hot chocolate for the drive home because I was shivering.  Nothing can solve that but a thing of hot chocolate.  And I needed some chocolate.

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12.  I am SO ready for an outdoor run today.  The roads are calling my name after a bunch of indoor miles so far this week.  PS Brooke has become quite the running photographer lately.

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What’s your opinion on Yassos?  Are they something you do often?  Do you think they help to predict your marathon time?  What speed workout do you tend to do the most often?  Would love to hear your thoughts on this! Outdoor or indoor run today? 2 questions for you from Andrew:   “If you could pick up any hobby (and be good at it:) right now, what would it be? “What is the weirdest thing you have ever eaten?”

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62 comments

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Oh my goodness, browsing American Girl doll catalogs with my sister was one of my all time favorite things to do as a child! I circled pretty much everything…. I’m glad to see they still have the catalogs in the days of the internet. If I ever have a daughter, I have a feeling I will resume this pastime. Also LOL to Brooke calling you Elmo when she was little – I’m sure it was a term of endearment :)

There is nothing better than running fast (though my running “fast” is quite possibly slower than your easy days…) when you’re anxious / angry / upset. My fastest half marathon by far was when I was really mad about something that had happened at work. It was a super hilly course, but that doesn’t matter when you need to get out ALL the emotions. Have a great day!!

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YES YES YES… I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!! I am fastest too when I am angry (although not on hills like you… way to GO)! It is the best way to get that anger out of us. Hahaha let’s hope Elmo was a term of endearment;)

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outdoor run today! it’s in the 50’s here in new York and may reach 70 today!

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Oh that weather sounds amazing! Enjoy every second!!!

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I don’t think Yassos can accurately predict your marathon time. I definitely feel tempo runs (especially within your long runs) are better indications of what you’re capable of running in the actual race. I actually run repeat 800s a lot, and I think it’s a great workout, but I just don’t believe that running 3 minutes for your repeats means you’re going to run a 3-hour race. You could be able to run a little faster, or you might not be there yet. I also really love tempo runs, and I think they help prepare you a lot for whatever distance you’re training for.

To answer one of Andrew’s questions, if I could pick up any hobby and be good at it, I think it would be playing the guitar or the piano. I’ve never had any musical talent, but it sure would be neat!

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Yep, I totally agree with you Natalie.. I think those tempos that are in the long run = best predictor. Oh it would be fun to be really good at the guitar or piano! Hope you are having a great Wednesday!

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I personally prefer longer speed workouts for half marathons and marathons. Even though I love short and sweet repeats, I struggle with confidence during a race, so having longer workouts with HMP or MP in the middle helps me out so much more! I also do a lot of hill work because hills can be really intimidating during a race.

I always wished that I could be a good dancer, especially when shows like Dancing with the Stars come on!
Weirdest thing I’ve eaten is probably chicken feet when I was in Berlin! Not going to do that again :)

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YES, I love that these workouts (especially longer ones) really help us with our confidence on race day! We know we did the homework to get there and we are ready to run! Oh yes… I want to be a really good dancer too:) CHICKEN FEET?! Yeah, I’m glad you are never going to do that again!

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Oh my gosh! I need that cup holder for my Hydro flask. Where did he get it, do you know?

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HEY!!! Okay, you are going to love this… here it is:

http://amzn.to/2lyMhzV

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Yay! Thanks! Just bought it! Life changing!

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YES!! I love my Hydroflask but my #1 complaint was that it wouldn’t fit in my cu h older. Problem solved, thank you Andrew! Going to order it right now!

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Oh this makes me so happy! I hope you love this cupholder!!

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Indoor run for me. It’s supposed to be 80 degrees today, and stormy.

I wish I could play the guitar! That’s what I would choose, if I could be instantly good at it.

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EIGHTY DEGREES??! Can we come stay with you Lynn?

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That hobby question is so easy. I would want to be really good at painting so I could create artwork for my house! It’s so hard finding pieces that are meaningful (as well as affordable). I’d fill my house with paintings of my running shoes :).

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YES YES YES… I totally agree with you! My dad is an amazing artist and I love seeing his art all over their house and would love to do that too!

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Indoor run today too- I run pretty early, so I’m not too mad about it, as I feel safer on the treadmill. Nice job on your workout, you crushed it! As far as Yasso’s predicting marathon times- I think there are very few things that can predict what we can run on a given day. Certain workouts help but I love this article by Lauren Fleshman about how science and running don’t always mix (http://www.runnersworld.com/the-fast-life/why-science-and-running-dont-always-mix).

As for Andrew’s questions- I seriously wish I could rock climb every day. There is only one activity I love more than running in this whole world and that is rock climbing. But hello Illinois, we have corn and the best city in the world- few rocks, boo!I have eaten turducken and you can thank my family in southern Iowa for that one

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I am just like you with early morning runs… I want to feel safe and the treadmill gives that too me! Okay, I just read that article you sent and it is AMAZING. Seriously, those last too paragraphs about not being able to measure your passion/spirit… so good! Thanks for sharing this with me!

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Thanks! One of my favorite articles to read for a pump-up.
Also, glad I am not alone in this “fear of running early” thing! Feeling unsafe= running feels less joyful.

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I read your blog first thing in the morning when I come into work and every time you have the grilled cheese with tomato soup pictured I get SOOOO hungry and want that right this second! Haha!

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Blaire!! Thank you for reading and I hope you get some tomato soup and grilled cheese asap:) Thanks and enjoy the rest of your day!

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Oh my gosh that water bottle holder is such a great idea. I need one of those. I feel like every cup I use is an entirely different size and I can never remember which ones fit in my car and which ones don’t.

Glad you and Andrew got some time to yourselves! Those pictures are gorgeous.

I’m definitely going to go for an outdoor run/walk today as long as the rain slows down a bit – it’s 60 in Michigan today which is just fantastic.

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Oh my gosh Janae, please tell me where Andrew got that car cup holder?! My boyfriend and I both have the exact same problem and it drives me completely bonkers!!!! I need that cup holder in my life ASAP!!

Also to answer his questions 1) skiing and 2) haggis (and I actually really liked it!…but to be fair I didn’t know what it was at the time…)

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HEY ANNIE!!! Here is the link to the cup holder: http://amzn.to/2lyMhzV Let me know what you think of it!!!

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Indoor run today – 9 miles on the treadmill!

And question #1 from Andrew – I want to be able to play the ukulele! My mom got me one for Christmas and I’m starting lessons in the spring … Can’t wait!

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outdoor run! The sun is shining here in Colorado and with our new move, I’m right next to a TON of awesome running trails.

Also, grilled cheese & tomato soup is probably in my top 3 favorite lunches. It’s a classic that you just can’t go wrong with.

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My mom makes American girl doll clothing and I think she has at least 30-40 dolls. Ha.

I’ve never had the baseline to do Yasso 800s for a marathon. I hope once I’m training for a marathon again, I’ll be strong enough to incorporate speed work.

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Outdoor hill run today! I haven’t done enough Yasso 800s to figure out whether it would work for me or not.

I would be a singer! That might be more of a talent, but it would be cool!

The weirdest thing I have eaten is a beilut. You may not want to Google it. I did it for an amazing race contest that I participated in (and then gagged while running back to the car!)

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My last Yasso workout before my first (and only) full marathon last fall, I did 10x at paces between 3:56-4:05… and my marathon time was 4:30. But I love to do Yasso’s because it’s a great fun workout, I feel so great afterwards! And I do them because I think Bart Yasso seems like the coolest guy — down-to-earth and interested in average runners like me. (How awesome to have a workout named after you?!)

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HAHA yes… I want a workout named after me:) Bart Yasso (I met him once for about 4 seconds) seriously was just how you described him… down-to-earth! I agree, post-workout Yassos= an amazing feeling! I hope your Wednesday is a great one Jen!

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is it me or running is the ultimate hype this spring? I’m also training for a marathon and this article is super inspiring. I run with SportMe runner app, which calculates distance, pace, time and calories and adjusts running plans to my progress.

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Brooke and Beretta are so stinking cute! If I could pick a hobby to be good at I’d probably say painting. I do not have much artistic ability and really wish I did.

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I’ve never done Yassos because they scare me :D I don’t race a lot, I mostly just run to get out some sort of emotion (or make my daughter think I’m super fast when I’m pushing her in the stroller… excellent for the self esteem). Today I’m going to the gym to either run on a treadmill or do a yoga class. We’ll see where my head is at when I get there!

If I could pick any hobby to instantly be good at it would be singing. I’ve always been a singer but not a phenomenal one (and my daughter always tells me to stop!) so that would be cool.

The weirdest thing I’ve ever eaten would probably be deep fried alligator on a stick… Gotta love that fair food!

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I have never done Yassos (I mean, in high school track we did 800m repeats sometimes, but we didn’t call them Yassos, so maybe I did them a lifetime ago..) but someday I would like to try it. I am sure it would not predict my marathon time because I run all speedwork way faster than I actually run on race day. I really like to do fartlek workouts because I can vary how far and how fast I run each set, so sometimes I go 3 lightpoles fast, 1 slow, or to the next street fast, you get the picture. Also, sometimes when I don’t want to do speed work I do hill repeats because
My new hobby would be cooking – I cook quite a bit already, but I wish I were better at it or could make more exotic recipes sometimes… I am always afraid if I make something super foreign it will not taste good. I just bought Run Fast, Eat Slow by Shalane Flanagan and Elyse Kopecky and am really excited to try some of their recipes for healthy food!
The weirdest thing I have ever eaten is dried duck tongue – a co-worker brought some back after he lived in China for a few years and said they like it over there. Overall, it tastes like beef jerky because it is salty too, but there was some weird textures about halfway through and I couldn’t finish it.

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Brooke (and your family) is so lucky to have such a great dog! Those two make quite the pair. I have run the Yasso 800’s. I think it’s kind of iffy – if you run a great workout, you’ll be all pumped up that the race is going to go well, and if you fade you’ll wonder what went wrong and why you didn’t reach the potential. If the 800’s aren’t good – you’ll be feeling like you are limited to that prediction. That’s my feeling on them anyways. Of course, when I blow up at mile 20 I always know the reason I’m not hitting my goal!! ;)

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I’ve honestly never done Yasso’s — should i be including them in my workout routine?

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HEY SUSIE!! They are a great workout to do but if your training schedule is working out great than stick to that. Definitely not necessary but it’s a good one to add in if you want! Start with 5-6 and then build up from there!

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Hi,
I have a random question about your hydro flask, if you don’t mind. Is the straw lid hard to clean? I have a straw water bottle (Camelbak) which I like, but the straw part (where you drink from) is so hard to clean. I just end up getting replacements for that part. If the hydro flask is easier to clean, I may invest in one of those instead.
Thanks for your time, and I love reading!
Kelly

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HEY KELLY!!! Great question… the hydro flask straw (and that whole top part) is SO SO SO easy to clean. That is one of the many reasons I love it. My friend Megan tried talking me into getting one for months and then once I finally tried it, I will never go back:) We take them everywhere with us. Thank you and let me know if you have any other questions!

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OUTDOOR RUN whenever possible!!!!

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My Yasso times have not been a good predictor for my marathon times. I still like to do them because I know I benefit from speed work. The plan I follow has intervals every week but the distances vary from 400 meters to 1 mile. So much pain in so little time ;)

Outdoor run – it was clear and dry when I looked out the window and it was pouring and windy by the time I hit the street! That’s Hawaii for you.

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Do you hit the handle bars when you run on your treadmill at all:)? I swear I would hit those, or get my earbuds wrapped around them! ) (Yes I still haven’t found wireless earbuds I like…I’m way behind the times)

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HAHA Yes… I absolutely do. I stay so close to the treadmill when I run because I think I am afraid of falling off or something!?

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I can’t weigh in on Yassos because I don’t do them.
But I CAN tell you..I took a boxing class at my yoga studio (they have hot yoga/hot barre/punch) and I was able to unleash what felt like YEARS of frustration and anger and it felt SOOOOOO GOOD! So I can totally relate to using that to tap into a good run. Some of my best runs have been ‘angry’ runs.

I wish I could snowboard! I’m terrified to try it, but it looks like so much fun!

Enjoy your day!

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Oh Caroline, that is AWESOME that you took a boxing class. I want to take one.. I’ll have to look one up! Yep, I’m just like you… my fastest runs are when I am angry;) I hope your Wednesday is an amazing one!

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So much fun!!!! I am the opposite of a ‘fighter’…but I just danced and laughed and beat the stuffing out of that bag (IMHO). You would love it…we also did burpees, mountain climbers, push-ups, wall squats, running drills…the most thrilling workout and the most fun I’ve had in quite some time.
If you ever visit NJ…let me know!!!

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Outdoor run today! It was a chilly 39 degrees with rain, but I LOVE running in the rain. I’m training for my second short distance trail run, so today was a tempo run in the dark before the girls were up and my husband had to leave for work.

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I always thought the correlation between 800s and marathon time was opposite from how you described it. If your goal is to run a marathon in 3 hours and 30 seconds, you should be aiming to run your 800s in 3 minutes and 30 seconds (rather than taking your 800 time and applying it to the marathon).

http://www.active.com/running/articles/how-to-use-yasso-800s-in-your-marathon-training

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It is that way with Yassos- I think what she is saying is since she was doing all her 800s around 2:45, technically that should be her marathon goal. Since she did a lot of repeats of them.

I definitely do NOT think yassos correlate with the marathon goal. I was training to run a 3:30, but I easily did all my yasso 800s in 3:17-3:23. I ran a 3:30. I think some of us are just more naturally inclined to be speedy. My half is also a lot better than my full time as well. I have run several halfs in under 1:35, but the marathon is a beast and I just haven’t been able to figure it out yet Janae! Still working on it!

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I’m with you….the Yassos are a great workout, but not a great marathon time predictor (at least for me). Actually, nothing is a good predictor for me lol. I can run a great half and plug it into one of the calculators and my full time will be way over what it tells me I should be able to do. I need to work on that haha.

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SAME! Ha I just said that above replying to Elissa. I don’t know how to get better at at! I just think some of us like the shorter speedier stuff no matter how much we train for those fulls!

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To answer Andrew’s questions: I’d surf. Weirdest thing I ever ate was turtle soup. Didn’t like it. And I eat some things others may consider odd but I don’t. (I admit to refusing to try pickled pig’s feet casserole. My parents wouldn’t even push me to and they had me try most things).

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While you were shivering, I’ve been sweating here in Florida… It’s 86 degrees today! After my run today I immediately chugged about 2 liters of ice water.

Weirdest thing I’ve eaten has to either be kangaroo (tasted like beef) or escargot in Paris (not bad, but that’s because they’re cooked in an unethical amount of butter).

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The weather here has been so weird. . . warm and muggy and its only March. I need a cold spell before the humidity really kicks in and is here to stay for a while. So a lot of outdoor runs have been run!
After reading so many of these comments I agree with so many of you. . .YASSOS are great and good for you but not a great overall predictor!
Weirdest thingS I ate. . . Kangaroo on our honeymoon(I felt bad afterwards, those things are sooo cute) and Alligator!
I would be a photographer!!!! I love taking pics but wish I was better at it! How fun to photograph people!!!!
XO

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Love all the songs in Frozen! Brooke, I get it, I’m always trying to bring my puppy on errands with me and then get upset when people don’t let her in stores and restaurants, haha! seriously! I wish I could re-pick up running again! I have seriously lost the bug and running hasn’t felt so fulfilling for me in the past 2 years! Also would be nice to be fast of course. I think the weirdest thing I’ve eaten is fried alligator nuggets..

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Thank you for the link for the cup holder adaptor…I just ordered one! I had no idea they even existed!

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I think the secret/thing with the Yasso’s is pacing – i.e. are you running them at the same race-pace you’d plan to run your marathon? In most cases, I would say not. You’re not going to go balls to the wall during the whole marathon! Most people are going to run 800m intervals at a FAR faster pace than marathon race pace. It’s just sustainability and racing sense. BUT, if you were to go out and run your Yasso’s at the same pace you feel/expect to do on marathon race day, you may just hit predicted numbers. Make sense?

Elite 800-m runners run it in 2 minutes…they’re not going to run a 2-hour marathon – most 800-m runners haven’t even/ever trained for that distance. But, if they adjusted and ran the 800’s at the pace they’d expect they are capable of (by feel or by watch whatever) for a full marathon, they’d probably slow it down to a (I don’t know) 2:30 – 2:40 for example.

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Oh, and to answer Andrew’s question: Play Guitar! I actually have one and am learning…but literally just the chords right now. Would love to get to the point where it felt effortless and natural but seems like it’s not in my cards. Or will take 50 years. At least.

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Great post and great job on those Yasso’s. That is a hard workout but very beneficial. Speed work is important to improve marathon times. We sometimes think “short” workouts don’t help with the marathon but the benefits are enormous. I found a good predictor of my marathon time was the 5K. I could pretty much extrapolate my marathon time based on my 5K time a few weeks before my marathon.

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You’ve got a good little photographer there! And I remember when Brooke called you Elmo!!!

About Yasso 800’s… Back in my marathoning days I hit my 800’s consistently at 3:15-3:20’s, yet my marathon PR was a 3:29:04. Close, but not close enough to be a true predictor for me. Anyway, good job pounding them out on the treadmill!

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Hey Janae – I never do Yassos. I never even think to do them. Thank you for this post, because I had a treadmill run to do of 4 miles. While not a long distance, 4 miles on a treadmill after a long day at work is sometimes more than I can bear. SO… I ran a “mini-Yasso” work out with a 1 mile warm up, 4×800 with 0.25 mile recovery in between. It was actually fun and like you, the warm up was not great, but once I started the work out, I felt so much better. And I felt accomplishment when I got done. Timing is everything, so thanks for helping me decide on my work out!!

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