Speedwork

Track workout today.  I wish I had gone to race the 5k with Monty, as it looks like it could have been an opportunity to place very high.  Congrats to Monty and Tobias!  I did not feel 100% after my injury last week and woke up to a very sick baby and wife.  I went to the track after the USC game and did a 8:00 mile warm up followed by 4 x 400m, each with a jogged 400m recovery.  I am still working on learning how to pace myself.  The goal pace was 1:40 per 400.  I ran the first one in 1:19 even after slowing at the end due to looking down at my watch in turn 3 and realizing I was on a sub 60 pace.  I ran a 1:28 and then two 1:40 400m.  The wind really makes a difference when you are running hard into a headwind (be sure to see unrelated 'wind' anecdote below).  I know this all to well from cycling, but I was surprised that running at comparably slow speeds is effected in the same way.  Total of three miles, no strains, felt pretty good.

Stats:

3 miles total

1:19 400m

1:28 400m

1:40 400m

1:40 400m

Also... unusual behavior at the track from some old guys running the straights and walking the turns.  I ran my warm up at an even pace of 2:00 per lap on the nose and passed the fellows a few times.  After my mile, I did a little stretching before the faster laps and one of the old guys compliments me on my pace.  I sheepishly thank him and get ready to really run.  I scream passed them on the first 400 due to taking off too hard (I was on my way to running a 55 second 400m which was way faster than my workout plan).  As I pass them I moved to the outside lane and gave them lots of room.  On my second hot lap one of them looks back and sees me cut to the inside lane because this time they're on the outside.  When I'm still 10 yards out, this dude moves to lane 2 just in front of me.  Then he sticks his butt in my lane and blasts a long, loud, and nasty wet fart which I can hear over my shoes and labored breathing.  Then he calmly steps aside and gives me a little grin.... These must be the same old guys that frequent the Y with Tim.  And to think just a few months ago I thought running was boring.