It was club night tonight and the session was an "out and back". The idea is everyone runs along a route for 23 minutes before turning around and retracing their steps but in 22 minutes.
If you judge it right you get the fabled "negative split", however if you sandbag too much in the first half, the second half is easily quicker so you haven't maximised the distance.
I was looking for a strong finish but a club session is always a good opportunity to catch up with people so I think I did a bit too much chatting in the "out" as I ended up getting home in 20 minutes, rather than the 22, so probably could have done more than the 8.8k I clocked.
QUite a few clubmates don't like the session but I think it's a great test and, towards the end as everyone gets closer together, it's great to cheer on your clubmates as you pass them, or they pass you. Despite not quite running hard enough in the first half I had a fab session and really feel like I pushed myself.
Do other people use "out and back" sessions in their training?
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Haven't tried the "out and back" before, but it sounds like a good test!
It's really difficult to get it just right and maximise your distance AND still get that negative split! You can do it on your own but more fun with a group of you.
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I love workouts like that. My running club has one that is 2 loops around a golf course. The goal is a 30-Second negative split. Everyonr’s split is read aloud at the end.
Another is you get 25 minutes to run up a somewhat steep trail and then everyone runs back down at their own pace. It’s near to see everyone stop at the same time spread across the hill. For the run down, some people chill. The competitive types (why are you looking at me?!?) rave back since it’s fair at that point.
It definitely brings out my competitive spirit and means I'm more motivated to work harder than perhaps I would normally!
I'm not part of a club, and I tend to do circuits ore than out and back.
But there is a 40km out and back that i'm looking to repeat next week to check on my improvement. Does that count? ;-)
40k?! Tough session. So lons as you negative split you're fine! ;-)
I've tried to negative split a 40km run. But so far that prize has alluded me ;-)
I think I could negative split a 4km run though, if I tried really hard ;-)
Ah, so you're a Groucho Marxist... you won't belong to a club that would have you as a member!
Kind of. I won't be part of a club where everyone can run faster than me. And if they have runners that are slower than me, well, I don't want to be part of a club where all of the members are stationary either ;-)
Out & backs are a great way to challenge yourself! Good work
Absolutely, a real good test of pace judgement and pushing yourself hard. Great training!