A Boy Named Track
When I was getting back on the road after spraining my ankle, probably about a year ago now, I was extremely skittish about retwisting it and at first could only really run on the treadmill with my hands hovering over the guardrails to grab onto the second anything went awry. What was scary was that it was hard to imagine getting past that, although some readers assured me that I would. And I did.
I felt a little of that as I went out to Interboro HS track this morning. Revving it up felt alien to me, I didn't know if I could or wanted to do it anymore. So the deal I made with my self was to just go out to the track and run. No pressure to do anything but run around in ovals and go a little faster than I usually do. Just see what I got.
On the two mile warmup running down there I refined that a little bit, deciding that 1600s would be a good distance to try. Again, go faster but don't set any firm goals. And it would be nice if I could go sub 6 minutes even once, but its no big deal if I don't.
If you're starting to see a slippery slide here, that is pretty much how it went. The first rep I just went fast, with no idea what my pace was. First time around (400) I clocked in at exactly 1:30, on time for a 6 minute pace. And I kept up that pace, finishing the first 1600 at 5:56.
And the laps kept coming in at 1:30. And the miles kept coming in at a little below 6 - another 5:56 and a 5:58.
And I kept getting more tired. Not tired in the legs, but tired anaerobically and tired mentally. The last rep was tough, but I won't make it too dramatic, as I found a gear fairly easily at the end to bring it home in 5:59.
Coincidentally (or not), 6 minute 1600s (w/ 400m recovery) is pretty much where my fitness is at right now. I'd ultimately like to get that down 20 or 30 seconds, but its better than I thought I was at. I'm happy with it.
Which meant I ended up doing exactly what I set out to avoid, a serious set of intervals that challenged me. But I did them fine and am ready to let go of the guardrails.
I am no Sarah Palin fan, but a woman who names her son Track can't be all bad.
10 miles or so total in 81:27.
I felt a little of that as I went out to Interboro HS track this morning. Revving it up felt alien to me, I didn't know if I could or wanted to do it anymore. So the deal I made with my self was to just go out to the track and run. No pressure to do anything but run around in ovals and go a little faster than I usually do. Just see what I got.
On the two mile warmup running down there I refined that a little bit, deciding that 1600s would be a good distance to try. Again, go faster but don't set any firm goals. And it would be nice if I could go sub 6 minutes even once, but its no big deal if I don't.
If you're starting to see a slippery slide here, that is pretty much how it went. The first rep I just went fast, with no idea what my pace was. First time around (400) I clocked in at exactly 1:30, on time for a 6 minute pace. And I kept up that pace, finishing the first 1600 at 5:56.
And the laps kept coming in at 1:30. And the miles kept coming in at a little below 6 - another 5:56 and a 5:58.
And I kept getting more tired. Not tired in the legs, but tired anaerobically and tired mentally. The last rep was tough, but I won't make it too dramatic, as I found a gear fairly easily at the end to bring it home in 5:59.
Coincidentally (or not), 6 minute 1600s (w/ 400m recovery) is pretty much where my fitness is at right now. I'd ultimately like to get that down 20 or 30 seconds, but its better than I thought I was at. I'm happy with it.
Which meant I ended up doing exactly what I set out to avoid, a serious set of intervals that challenged me. But I did them fine and am ready to let go of the guardrails.
I am no Sarah Palin fan, but a woman who names her son Track can't be all bad.
10 miles or so total in 81:27.
posted by seebo | 9:08 AM
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