Time Trials! Oh fun!
I remember time trials from high school track. Most specifically the 5k time trial we all did every year in late August in Virginia to determine who would run varsity at the XC first race.
Practice was always around 4:00 PM, and I don't know if you've ever been in Virginia in August in the late afternoon, but it gives heat and humidity a whole dictionary of definitions. Anyways, our whole group of out-of-shape from a lazy summer 16 year olds would run 12.5 laps around the 400m track as Coach Matt called out splits.
Let's just say it was sweat-tascularly hard!
I digress....
Anyways, I wasn't exactly thrilled to see this 10k time trial as a workout, but since I'm going to Seattle this weekend to celebrate Anthony's birthday (woo hoo! 32!), I figured I'd do it today before work. On the track. 25 lap blaze of glory!
My goal was to keep the pace between 7 and 7:05 pace.
It was a beautiful morning and I put on some peppy music and off I went. I told myself to segment the workout into the "first part" (miles 1-3 where I should not be pushing at all), the "second part" (miles 3-4.75 where I should focus), and the "third part" (4.75-6.25 where it was time to go and make it hurt!..or something).
First lap: 1:40. oops.
Mile 1: 6:58
Mile 2: 7:02
Mile 3: 7:05
5k: 21:56
Mile 4: 7:07
Mile 5: 7:12......
And I ran one more lap. On my way into lap 22, I cramped up in my side ridiculously. Yes, my finishing time was a glorious 37:11. Which is awesome. If you ran a whole 10k.
I'm not exactly thrilled with my steadily slower and slower mile splits even in this failure of a time trial, but even if I'd run the next 1600m in 7:10, I still could have pulled off a 44:21 10k, which is decent. But, clearly...I didn't. Sad face!
My side is STILL slightly screwed up from that bike fall and I think it's still causing problems. I tried to stretch it out last night, which clearly backfired! Why yes, I AM a licensed doctor and chiropractor! Nothing I can do, but just wait while it heals, I suppose.
I am excited to not have to do long track workouts anymore however, because my Garmin is coming MONDAY! This is also good because I can never return to the track again because I feel a little awkward. Here is why:
When I finished, a older dude (late 40s or 50s?) told me good job on the run. I told him that I didn't finish the workout and that I sucked. I wanted the encouragement and to feel better about my failure, so I walked a lap with him. He was a former 400m runner and from West Virginia. He was super sweet and I thought it was nice he was being so encouraging.... Until he asked for my phone number.
Now...can't lie, I actually like attention to a certain degree because I feel like I am approaching hag-dom and it allows me to believe that I am not becoming one. But I'd also prefer that they don't remember the 1969 moon walk.
Take notes, ladies, community college tracks are the new place to meet gentlemen!
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Two more things:
1) I changed my layout to make things easier to read. Love? Hate? I feel like this new layout is kind of boring and I want a better slogan on the header. Please give me tips!
2) There are a crap load of awesome people racing this weekend. Christina, Colin, Emily, Angry Runner, OUAL, Pam, XLMIC, Chicago Runner Girl, Run Eat Repeat, Xaarlin...and I am SURE I am forgetting people (please forgive my forgetfulness!).
They are all gonna be awesome.
ALL OF THEM!!!
Good luck, y'all ;).
Good for you for running on the track! Superstar! I wussed out from the cold and ran inside.
ReplyDeleteSorry you didn't finish. It's still a great run, girl!
I like the new layout. It's clean and simple.
Um, you're not approaching hagdom! Impossible. But ewww, I don't blame you for not wanting to return to that track.
Hope you have a great weekend in Seattle!!
Thanks for the shoutout! I hope I dont disappoint. :)
ReplyDeleteGreat job on the 5.2! I like it. You could revolutionize running with new time trial standards :) Who says it has to be 5K or 10K??
Oh, man, there is nothing more awkward than the older man hit on. Weird!
ReplyDeleteWhat track do you run at that is just open to the public? I need to find one down here. Maybe do my mile repeats on the track rather than on the treadmill.
You make me laugh! I'm sorry about the time trial. If I were you, I'd have found a 10K race and re-arranged the schedule so as to avoid the solo track slog.
ReplyDeleteI got hit on by an "older gentleman" yesterday too. It gets even worse as you yourself get older. He probably remembered the Korean War. I was innocently reading Running Times at Barnes & Noble while my kids were at mountain biking class. He told me his name was Reverend Marcellus, that I am beautiful and that he was shopping for yachts (he then held up a yachting magazine). I told him thank-you for the compliment, that I would share it with my husband, and good luck with the yacht. And then I left (I did remember to buy the magazine). Sadly, I was also a little flattered. I feel my days of being hit on are coming to an end and that I should take what compliments I can get (as long as I can leave quickly too). Is that a sad attitude?!
oh, much to say!! okay, first of wahoo to the pending arrival of the garmin!! :) u're a high-rolling runner now, eh? jk.
ReplyDeletesecond, GREAT JOB on the tempo, even though i kno u're miffed that it was a little short. but honestly, cramps like that happen and they can cripple u. anyways, u got in a good length tempo regardless. plus, not many people can pound it out on a track either; those middle miles can drone on. finally, u are getting in awesome shape, missy, my only suggestion is wat u already kno: better to go out conservative and get faster. but it's so hard not to go out too fast, and i suck with knowing paces myself!!
on to the skeezer, u gotta i guess just take the ego stroke even though u're in no way interested. let's just pretend it was john cusack or jonny depp! ;)