Day 73
Boston Qualifying Training. Track day! Well kind of… I tricked myself. Today was tempo day, but my tempo days are typically days of frustration. Not because it is too fast, rather, I can not keep myself on pace. I go TOO FAST. Typically my tempo day goes something like this… Okay an easy warm up at 8:30’s, I do 8:00 or even 7:50. Pace might be 7:29 and I am so concerned that I am running too slow I hit 7:10, or 7:15. Next, I think, back it off, so I take a little bit off, after a few minutes it feels like I have slowed too much! Uh-oh, better pick it up… go too fast and hit the mile marker at a 7:10 or 7:15. I do this 3-5 more times depending on what the prescribed workout is for that tempo day. At the end of the run I am wore out and frustrated.
But not today. Seeing as it is only a 1 mile EZ and 5 miles at 7:29, I decide to join my buddies at the track. I will be disciplined. I have my times written on my hand, 56 seconds every 200 meters and 1:52 every quarter. Four laps around the track is shorter than a mile, so I select the second lane, it is 20 meters longer per lap, that should make it a mile.
The jog to the track is uneventful, Jeff, Corey, Chris and myself. I feel good and I am happy that I have my hat and long sleeves, winter weather is coming.
As I will be doing this 5 miles run alone, though near my buds on the track, I pop in the ipod and I am off. The pace is easy, comfortable even. I wonder what it might be when I hit the first 200 meters, looking I see 52, not bad, rounding the first ¼ mile, 1:49, a little fast, I pull back a bit. The next lap is 1:52, better… and so it goes 18 more times. I switch directions every mile, so I can balance my legs and it makes it easier to keep track of the laps, four laps, and switch directions.
I am watching Corey, Chris and Jeff they are all in a groove. I would love to blast a couple of laps off, but that would serve no purpose but to feed my ego. I consider maybe letting loose on the last two laps but again… why. Those days can wait until December 12th passes.
I end the workout and my time is 36:11, about a minute and 15 seconds too fast, for a mile pace of 7:14, rather than the prescribed 7:29. I think, that’s not right, I was only 2-3 seconds fast every 200… oh yeah, times 8 equals 15 seconds. I am not displeased. If I had been doing that time and huffing and puffing, sure, It would have been too fast. The fact is I felt good, I was in control and I was very comfortable.
This is a good run to build on for the 20 miler on Friday. I have now had 3 solid back to back to back runs. I am looking forward to kicking butt on the 20 miles at an 8:20 pace. My goal for Friday is to run the first 11 at 8:20 and the next 9 at 8:15, to feel it out maybe even drop that last two to an 8:00 pace.
Last night I finished welding the Marinich of the Week Award. It may look a little rough, but it came out just as I had hoped. It looks cool.
Weights at lunch provided there is time. There is a lot of work to get done. Weight today, 177. Steady.
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