OU Track Workout

AM: 2 mile w/u + strides
Target: 5xmile @5:45 w/3 mins. rest
Actual: 5:49, 5:45, 5:44, 5:44, 5:39
1.5 mile c/d
Total: 9 miles
PM: 25 mins.
3 miles

Jordan and I woke up bright and early this morning with the intention of heading over to the OU track and banging out my workout before Gus picked us up at 9:30. Otherwise we would've had to wait until after Jordan got off work at 7, which I wasn't too keen on, especially since the wind was forecasted to pick up to 20+ mph by then. As it was, the flags were already billowing in earnest (weather.com said 16mph when we headed out the door), but I was optimistic in hoping it wouldn't be too much of a factor during my workout. Besides, I had my very own pacers/wind blockers/bodyguards in the form of Jordan and Scotty D. I was a little wary of letting Jordan on the track for the first time in several months, but he promised to let me know if his achilles started to bother him.

After some strides and stretching, Jordan and I geared up for the first interval. Scotty D was running a few minutes late and wouldn't arrive until after #1, so at the starting line I cautioned Jordan not to take us out too quickly. "Remember, 86 feels reaaaally slow to you." Be careful what you wish for, I suppose, because when we crossed the finish line after a very pedestrian first lap the watch read 91. Oops. We came through the half in 2:57 and finished the interval in 5:49, so you can do the math on how fast we were booking the second half.

For reasons undetermined other than the fact that he is mean, Jordan took my watch away from me and flung it to the track before the second interval. This meant I would be running on feel and/or just keeping pace with him and Scotty going forward. I was confident that their internal clocks would hit the correct pace so I wasn't too distressed about being sans timepiece. Sure enough, we hit the next three spot on, and I felt increasingly comfortable as the workout progressed. The wind was a slight factor on the back half of the track (Jordan and Scotty's 130-pound frames can only do so much), but for the most part I felt controlled and fairly relaxed throughout. As I'd hoped, we cut the pace down slightly on the final interval and I was able to cruise in just under 5:40. Overall this was a solid workout, due in no small part to my handsome and talented assistants.