Wednesday, October 29, 2008

My Winded Wheel

The flock milled about the infield, chewing the grass. Their honks and squawks sounded like cheers as my feet carried me around the third turn toward my first and fastest 800 meters.

When they mounted their wings and took flight during my second interval, I hoped the Canada geese would be faster than I and would not shit on me.

All did go as planned last night, but my triumphant return to the track was choked by a lack of lung capacity rather than a lack of speed.

This was my first time back to the track in more than a month. I kept my pacing the same as when I was training to break an hour and 50 minutes for the half marathon -- at 3:38 to 3:48 per 800-meter repeat.

I had high hopes of six repeats, but my lungs were winded and my wheels were gone after just two. I forced one more because I'd be damned if I was going to go through all the trouble of going to the track for two measly intervals.

The numbers:
  1. 3:35
  2. 3:45
  3. 3:47
Totals: 3:42.33 average per 800 meters (7:27 per mile); 4.4 miles at 39:50 (9:03 per mile)

The pacing was suitable for this track session, but if I'm going to beat my current 5-K PR (look right), I'm going to have to stop all this squawking and step it up.

14 comments:

Marcy said...

What in tha . . .dang it I was just here! :P

You've got the right idea. Shut yur trap and get to work . . .now if only I could do the same *sigh*

C said...

I think you were just having an off day. Don't be so hard on yourself.

They say getting pooed on my a bird is a sign of good luck. 'They' are most obviously idiots and have never had their person used for target practice as often as I have. Let's just say I'm losing the battle and the war. Damn birds.

Glaven Q. Heisenberg said...

These times sound pretty d@mn good to me.

(Full disclosure: I have no idea what I'm talking about. So factor that in.)

Steve Stenzel said...

I LOVE track intervals! They'll beat you into shape!!

tfh said...

Isn't training for a 5k a good excuse to cut the intervals down to 400 meters? Or is that just me? Anyway, nice times!

Ian said...

I gotta agree with tfh. Do some shorter intervals, it's much easier to blow the doors off some 400s and then once your ego gets big enough go back to the 800s. It shouldn't take you long at all.

Jess said...

After being off the track for a month, those times look pretty good to me. I'm sure you'll get your lungs back soon!

Nitmos said...

If they were Canadian geese, I believe you are then allowed to use the Canadian clock to time your 800's which, by and large, runs slower than the U.S. version as I understand it.

Spike said...

tfh and vinalla are wrong, don't do shorter intervals, do mile repeats, and do like eighteen of them, that will help you cut your 5K pr. :) keep up the good work!

Ms. V. said...

them's good times!

WTH is your problem! :)

Vava said...

Nitmos: Canadian clocks don't run slower, just colder, and longer in the summer (shorter in the winter)... There's got to be some working ones going into landfill in Michigan that you could check out, no? I think that too is ending soon, which is a good thing all around.

Viper: way to get back on the track! Your Yasso 800s were super impressive back when you were churning them out like butter, and I'm sure you will get back to it in short order!

Unknown said...

Great job for getting it done! As it gets colder, speed workouts are sort of drifting out of sight for me.

B. Kramer said...

@Sarah: I have it, but thanks.

Sun Runner said...

I should have known. ;)

You should check out the Kingsbury Manx. And the National Lights.