Speed intervals still hurt

Now the third week of pre-birc speed work, though only the second week for me having done the 5 x 750 session last week, but missed the 6 x 500m session the week before. I couldn’t train at lunchtime due to a meeting, so had to go after work. I had a headache before I started so nearly didn’t go at all. I still had a headache after rep 3 and so nearly just called it a day there. Two things stopped me – I didn’t want to do the session again this week, and I decided that every extra rep I did would be a bonus for the training effect. As it was, the headache didn’t get any worse on reps 4 to 8.

8 x 500m / 3:30 rest:
1:32.4 / 34
1:32.3 / 34
1:32.2 / 35
1:32.1 / 35
1:32.0 / 35
1:31.8 / 35
1:31.7 / 36
1:31.4 / 35

Total = 12:15.8 / 1:31.9 / 35

All things considered not a bad session. Nowhere near good enough yet for where I need to be for BIRC though. I have, in the past, done this session with all reps under 1:30 (marginally), but at both a higher stroke rate, and a hugely higher effort level. I’m not sure I have it in me to get back to that kind of effort level. My legs didn’t feel too bad after this today, tired, but not dead. When I did this set at sub 1:30 I literally could not stand up after 5 reps and felt like my quads were going to explode. Today I finished, wrote down the splits, then walked off for a shower. Having a head ache does limit what your body will do though I think.