Yeomen’s Workout
The last of May and throughout June, Run for Your Life puts on the Summer Track Series at Myers Park High School. Having missed all of summer track last year, I made plans for returning this year. Running on a track has always been a mystery for me. I never ran track in high school or college so running around the paper clip oval intrigues me. But for some reason, I have a love/hate relationship with the track. I enjoy the shorter heats and the multiple heats, but I hate the oxygen debt that my body endures while running them.
In years past, I focused just on running the mile heats. However, Tuesday night, I ventured out of my norm. I ran multiple events of different distances and just see how I would do.
I started off with two heats of the mile: 5:24 and 5:45. I went out way too fast on the first lap running a 75 and then 2:33 for the half. The second lap a monkey started jumping on my back. By the third lap, this same monkey was jumping on my shoulders. On the final lap, he was jumping on my head. I was just happy to finish. Maybe a minute later, I jumped in the 2nd heat of the mile. I just tried to relax and run it. The 5:45 seemed a lot easier than the 5:24.
Next up was the 400, I was in lane 5. On the start I launched off the line but by first turn those guys had made up the stagger. I thought this is going to be ugly, but I actually surprised myself and ran a 73 second quarter. This was the fast quarter that I have run in years.
I followed 400 with the 800 in 2:38. Gathering at the line, I looked across and saw Anthony Famiflietti. As a group we left the starting line together. By the first turn Famiflietti was already pulling away from the group. Talk about feeling slow. He looked like he was launched out of a cannon going down the back stretch. The thought actually crossed my mind "I hope I don't get lapped in the 800". I am coming to the line to complete the first 400, and I glanced across the track. Famiflietti is already more than half way down the back stretch. Well, at least I will not get caught in the 800.
Watching him run is just amazing.
I would like to thank Stan, Aaron, and David for some infield laps between the events. This really helped keep my legs loose while waiting between events.
Finally, around 8:15 it was time for the 2 mile. I just tried to settle in. My legs were tired. I was pushing very close to 13 miles. After the hard running from the 400 and 800, this actually felt pretty easy. I wasn't trying to push. The first mile went down a little slower than I expected, but the second mile felt good. Actually, I felt the best in the 2 mile of any of the events the entire evening. Strange as it may sound, I guess this means that I am just a distance kind of guy. I had a very respectable 11:36 for me.
Next week, I will be back, and I am thinking of adding the 200 to my list of events. I know that I'll get crushed but who cares. It is fun to do something different.
Sharing one thought at a time,
The Cool Down Runner
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