Summer Track WK2: Recap 6.7.11
Week 2 of the Summer Track Series rolled around and I found myself once again pulling into the parking lot at Myers Park High School. Going from the air conditioned car to the outside world is rough because the heat was its usual suffocating self.
My daughters decided to come along this week so in addition to my normal stuff, I was carrying all of the stuff that they needed. Sometimes, I feel less like a parent and more like a pack mule.
But I digress.
Clayton and I headed out for a few miles warm up around 6 PM. Mainly, we circulated around the Myers Park HS Campus before heading back to the track.
Next up, I did a few strides on the grass infield and then switched over to my flats. Put on my heart monitor and CRC singlet.
Tim was messing with us this week. He shifted the schedule around with the 6 minute and over mile being run before the 6 and under mile. At the time, my training plan for the evening seemed totally screwed.
Watching that 6 and over mile, I wished that I had jumped in. Running a preliminary race would have been good for me.
At 6:45 Tim and crew started lining us up for the mile. We followed the typical "waterfall" start. One big difference from last week to this week was the number of people running. The open mile was huge. There must have been 25 people running in this heat. Running was a little congested in the first 200 meters because everyone was jockeying for a position as near to the curb as possible.
About half way through, the feeling had already started to settle in that it wasn't my night. My legs just were not feeling it.
Leonard was running just ahead of me. My idea was "Let's catch up to him". Well, catch him "yes" and pass him "yes". Stay in front of him "No". Passing him appeared to wake up his competitive juices because a short time later he roared back by me and would put several seconds on me before the finish. Who knew that he was such a speedster.
But he wasn't the only speedster, while coming to the finish, Chuck suddenly comes roaring by me. Dudes definitely got a fast kick at the end. Where can I get a similar set of wheels.
Anyway, for my paltry efforts I netted a 5:17 mile which was 2 seconds slower than last week. Luckily, Bob Nelson had persuaded Tim to hold a 3 mile heat. I quickly jumped back in along with Stan to give Bob some support. Besides, this had been my plan from the start. This time, I closed with a 5:27 mile verses the 5:42 from last week. 5:17 and 5:27 were not that bad for back to back miles.
Was there some disappointment in not running at least a little faster? Yes. But then, the more I thought about it; my disappointment kind of dissolved away. After all, I am not doing any speed work and really have not done any mile/5k type speed work in a year.
Next week, Tim suggested they might break it up into 3 different mile runs with a 6 and over, 6 to 5:30, and 5:30 and under. I am already thinking about how I can slip into all 3 heats.
In full disclosure, I am put together several video piece as well as sharing my Garmin Connect info. Putting all of this together is a challenging and delays my post for a little longer, but it is kind of cool.
And, if you are interested, I posted photos for the night on face book.
Garmin Connect Info
Thoughts from the Cool Down Runner
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