Double Dippin'

Since time was against me yesterday I,m combining my blog entry today,two for the price of one if you like.
Today was straight forward enough, a 5 miler around Clark Park,the miles/loops seemed to roll by as Status Quo performed their"head down,no nonsence boogie"on my ipod setting me up nicely for an easy pre race three miler tomorrow.
Yesterday saw me revisit an old repeat I haven,t done for a while the old 3x1,200m but this time w/ a twist.
When I last did the 3x1,200m way back when my target times were 4.05,4.05,3.50,I felt to run at that pace now would be detrimental to my current pace so I went for an ambitious 4.00,3.45,3.30,using 3x1.20 for the first set,3x1.15 for the second set and 3x1.10 for the final set,like I said ambitious for that final repeat but what the hell push the envelope now and hopefully reap the rewards later on his season.
Conditions were very warm when I hit the track at 5.30pm,I knew the key to having any shot at that final 1.10 per lap repeat was to run the first two at pace.....so a 1.12 opening lap didn,t exactly help any,don,t get me wrong it,s great to run fast but when pacing yourself for the long haul a 1.12 when you only need a 1.20 can come back to haunt you.1.20 for my second lap b4 closing out at 1.17 for a 3.49.09,11 seconds inside the 4 minute pace I was looking for.
Following my five minute recovery it was into my 1.15 per lap repeats,again a slightly brisker opener than required,1.10,I nailed a 1.15 at 800m b4 closing out w/ a 1.11, 3.36.94,9 seconds inside the 3.45 I was shooting for,now for the test.
1.10 right off the bat but I knew holding onto that pace would be tough,sure enough a 1.16 followed,I was 6 seconds off pace w/ only 400m to go,unlike my 4x1 mile repeats where I often feel I can gun the final lap tonite I won,t front I was feeling the pace,it wasn,t till 180m to go that felt I was able to roll,credit where it,s due I managed a 69 second final lap to close out at 3.35.53 which while none too shabby was alas 5 seconds over my target time.
Overall I was pleased w/ my performance,like I said it,s been a while since I,ve ran 1,200m,s and it may be a while b4 I do them again but tonite was a good workout and coupled w/ my mile repeats Monday I,m hoping to set myself up nicely for Saturdays 1,500m