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.

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OU Track Workout (Was My Bitch)

15 min. w/u (2 miles)
Target: 6x1.5 miles @6:25 pace w/4:00 rest
Revised Target: 6x1.5 miles @6:15-6:20 pace w/4:00 rest
Actual: 9:24 (6:17 through the mile), 9:28 (6:17), 9:24 (6:17), 9:18 (6:10), 9:19 (6:11); 9:13 (6:09)
12 min. c/d (1.5 miles)
Total: 14 miles

Yesterday afternoon Jeff emailed Jilane and me to congratulate us on being ahead of schedule in terms of fitness. Our reward was having the privilege of working out harder than originally planned today. Yay for us. That said, I was looking forward to the workout primarily because Jordan was going to run it with me. I can't remember a workout, much less a track workout, that I've run with anyone during this training cycle, but it can make a tremendous difference. Since Jordan is quasi-injured and didn't want to run the whole way, we planned for him to drive our rental car to the track (PT Cruiser, holla) while I ran from Campus Lodge. He would meet me there and then pace me through the intervals and lollygag around during my recovery jog.

The morning dawned clear and cold, and for the first time in months I actually wore a long-sleeved shirt for the warm-up. By the time I arrived at the track, the sun was shining brightly and the sky was crystal clear. And, surprisingly, there was no wind to speak of. Put simply, it was an absolutely beautiful morning.

I had instructed Jordan to start us out conservatively for the first few intervals, and he did a perfect job. We couldn't have been more consistent during the first half. On the fourth interval (which was his last, as he had to catch the bus and open the store) he took things out a bit quicker and we split the mile in 6:10. For whatever reason, this actually felt more comfortable than the previous intervals, and I ended up basically maintaining that pace on my last two solo segments. In fact, by the end of the workout I felt pretty fantastic, almost as though I could've done a few more at the same pace without tiring (although I opted not to test that theory out). I'm not expecting anyone to give me a cookie, but I was pretty happy with how this workout panned out. Definitely a confidence builder.

Also, to echo what Jilane said in her post yesterday, days like today remind me of how blessed I am. Undeservedly, inexpressibly, unconditionally blessed. "Thank you" is an inadequate response, but it's all I have. So, thank you.

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