Wednesday, September 30, 2009

Three for Track

Day 38

Boston Qualifying Training. I woke up at least 4 times before the alarm went off in anticipation of today’s track workout. My love for track workouts is well chronicled. I have my times written on my arm, though with no moon, and the fact I am wearing long sleeves, (yeah long sleeves, welcome to fall, it is 50 degrees this morning) it is more for memorization than being able to see at the track.

Arriving at LTF, I pull next to Jeff’s truck, I grab my gear and see Jeff as I am walking in. Jay is doubtful for the morning. Still recovering from his weekend race (he had a great race) and returning from a business trip, he is not likely to make the track.

Jeff and I hang out in the lobby area, I grab a chair and Jeff looks at the couch, but there is somebody already sitting there. Obviously this stranger has no idea he is in our spot. Jeff and I are likely thinking the same thing… dude, that’s our spot, move. This interesting train of though is broken as Corey pulls up. We all know Jay is a no show and we head out the door.

The chill of fall feels good and I am very comfortable with the long sleeves. There is no moon and the light pollution is very low, all the stars are out and Venus is hanging low in the sky.

The track workout today is pretty straight forward, 2 x 1200 @ 4:40 followed by 4 x 800 @ 3:05. The pace reasonable. Work will be done, but the first couple of laps will feel easy.

Typically by the end of the jog to the track and a quick lap around, my legs are ready to go. Today my legs are feeling tired, though the beauty of track, it is fast and done, no time to consider any aches or fatigue. It’s nice to have Jeff and Corey along for the run, thinking back I’ve been running, biking, swimming with these guys for the past 7 years.

I hit my watch for the first 1200, first 200, right on, 400, on, I stay on track but do not look at my watch until I hit the 1200 mark… too fast on the last lap, I am fast by 11-10 seconds. I have a two minute RI between sets, amazing how two minutes goes by so fast during an RI, but when I'm doing a “Plank” the damn clock will not move.

I start the second 1200, this one I will be right on, first lap, EZ, second, lap, feeling it, last lap, harder, but I hit the time only fast by 1 second. I’ll call it perfect. Done with the 1200’s the 800 are a piece of cake. I cruise through the 800’s though I am “efforting” on the second lap with the last two in the set. I am fast on each one, but only by a few seconds, the last on, right on the money with a negative split.

I am extremely happy with the fact that I was so close to the prescribed times, right up until Corey sent me an email saying the times should have been 4:53 for the 1,200 and 3:12 for the 800’s. I went too fast. Perhaps if I delete the email I will feel better.

Realistically I know I can go even faster, but that is not the goal. The goal stays set for December 12th, at the end of 26.2 miles. This will be my 11th marathon, I’m no rookie at this but my approach will be different from the other races my goal is to go into this healthy with no breaks in training.

Stretching at lunch and core, football later tonight. Weight 180… Kim made cookies and saved some for me.

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