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 ;).
