There are a lot of things I’ve tried since we moved here; some have stuck (e.g. Yoga, clearly), some have been a one-time only experience – Crossfit, riding around the Boulder Reservoir with my clipless bike shoes and pilates, just to name a few.
I have handed my ego to the mountains, the altitude, the road-burned skin and the free weights. Last night, I happily handed it to the track.
But I have reason to believe this wasn’t a one-night stand;
we had a good time together.
This was the first time my legs have run the oval since last summer – June, to be exact. Yesterday, Ed told me the club’s plan – 16 x 400m – and I may or may not have thought “death by exhaustion!”.
Oof, this speed work stuff is hard.
I secretly hoped the recently-consistent afternoon thunderstorms would come for their daily dose, ending our track plans. I drove through clear, sunny skies all the way to the track.
Fine, Colorado. Play your little weather games, I see how it is.
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To play it safe, our plan was for me to just do 12 of the repeats and see how I felt. The club splits up into pace groups, and my “goal pace” fell right in between 2-3.
I started with 3, and almost caught up to 2 (the groups ran in waves). So I ran with 2, and then two repeats later dropped back to 3.
If nothing else, I could confuse my mind and legs until all 12 had passed and suddenly we were done – right? RIGHT.
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Twelve laps later, I got cocky (shocker). I wanted to finish all 16 – it’s okay if you can’t do them quickly, legs. I gotcha covered. I had no plans of leaving any muscles or tendons on the track.
1:32 – 1:33 – 1:33 – 1:34 – 1:31 – 1:33 – 1:34 (x 5) – 1:36 – 1:40 – 1:35 – 1:43
Yup, that’s only 15. I skipped one in need of a pit stop. It happens.
As for the group thing, I’ve never run repeats so consistently. I don’t know who in that four-pack was ‘pacing’ us, but hey, I’m impressed with you and your 1:34s.
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Oval laps, I’ll see you again next week.
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If you’re a local runner (Denver), we’re having a LUCKY 13 Run Club tonight at lululemon (Cherry Creek North). Join us for the run & get $13 off the Denver Rock n’ Roll half-marathon registration!
