MAF Test 2!

Much more time elapsed between these tests than I originally planned, but such is life, especially when I am working more late shifts these days. I realized this time though that I could actually go straight after dropping the boys off over to the track and do it before work, which actually worked out fine time wise.

Conditions were quite different than last time: the track was less crowded, it was much hotter and more humid, it was early in the day as opposed to the evening. I did run barefoot again, and I decided to to 400m easy in between each 1k. Still don't know what the 'proper' way is to do it in terms of rest, but I figure if I'm consistent it all works out. 

Here are the results:

Lap    Time    AV HR
1        4:22     147
2        4:34     143
3        4:33     143
4        4:35     143
5        4:35     143 (Forgot to save and clear between 4-5, so split the difference)
6        4:34     143
7        4:35     143
8        4:35     1:43

Just looked back at my first test in early June, and the times were 4:10-4:22. I knew this time was slower, but I didn't realize it was that different. I have to attribute it to the heat and humidity, because I don't think I am in worse shape than I was then. I hope that I have improved, but I really doubt I've lost any conditioning.
Obviously I went out way too hard on the first one, and on the others as well I was more above the MAR than below, but it still averaged out to 143, so I guess it counts. Much more consistent times than last time, whatever that means. According to the Big Book, these times equate to around a 18:30 5k, which I think is probably accurate. I've got about six weeks to build up my conditioning before the Saitama ekiden (assuming I find people to run with me...) and would really love to run that under 18:00.