Speed work on the trace

I met up with Chris, Steve and Sam out on the trace at lunch. They were doing 12 x 1/4 repeats in 1:20 - 1:23 second range with 90 seconds recovery. I got there just a little late and ran the first interval only half way with them. The pace seemed pretty easy - at about 1:30 and only for half way.

Chris had just had his body fat measured. He is faculty in the Human Performance college and has a DEXA body fat analyzer right down the hall from his office. He was right at 10% body fat. Wow! That is impressive. I have never had a real body fat analysis done. Chris said to come on over any afternoon and I could get it done. I feel a little heavy right now but it would be nice to have a baseline. Check it now and then again at the height of summer.


Some info about the DEXA scanner from http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/bodyfat.htm.

This test is used to measure bone density, but it also measures body fat percentage as well as where most of your fat is (as if you didn't know). DEXA uses a whole body scanner and two different low-dose x-rays to read bone mass and soft tissue mass.

It takes about 10-20 minutes to do a body scan

It provides a high degree of precision with a 2-3 % margin of error.

This is considered a gold standard for measuring body fat and bone density

It's painless

Back to the intervals - the easy never lasts! I was, I guess, comfortable for the first 6 or so repeats. I was able to recover quickly and have some conversation with the guys - chew the fat if you will. Towards the end of the intervals it was taking longer and longer to recover. Sam and Steve were pulling away. Some of the intervals they ran were as low as 1:16 (that is a 5:04 pace!). I was still clocking in at 1:22 - 1:23. It was hard to watch them pull away but I just did not have it in me - but I'm working on it. Them finishing a little ahead also cut into my recovery by a few seconds. A very good workout. My times for the quarter mile repeats were:

01. 1:23
02. 1:20
03. 1:22
04. 1:19
05. 1:21
06. 1:21
07. 1:23
08. 1:22
09. 1:26
10. 1:24
11. 1:21

Back at the gym I did a little strength training - bench press and dips. It is tough getting back into the swing of the lifting. My body was sore and tired all last night. A good sore.

Another softball game tonight if it does not get rained out.