Losing the Battle(s), Winning the War

Tues, 10/1
AM: 5 miles easy
PM #1: 4 miles + strides
PM #2: 7 miles moderate

Wed, 10/2
AM: 3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 4x400 @80 w/60 sec. rest; 4x800 @2:44 w/90 sec. rest; 4x1000 @3:30 w/2 min. rest; 4x400 @78 or faster w/60-90 sec. rest
Actual: 79, 79, 78, 79; 2:44, 2:44, 2:44, 2:42; 3:27, 3:27, 3:27, 3:27; 76, 77, 76, 74
1.5 mile c/d
Total: 11 miles

What is it they say about the best laid plans?

Attempt #1 for this workout was Tuesday at lunch. I jogged an easy warmup to the Beverly High track, did some strides and drills, and was just about to rip into my first interval when the track was swarmed by a PE class the approximate size of my high school. Unruffled, I waited around for a few minutes to see if the melee would at some point amalgamate into some semblance of order, but instead it seemed they were just planning to run around all over the track and infield and everywhere in between to their heart's content. I shuffled back to the office, fuming, but at the same time resolving to stay the course and try again after school business hours.

Just before 3pm, my boss headed out for the day. Knowing he would drive right by the school, I asked him to let me know if it was open. A few minutes later I got the all clear and, seeing as how I hadn't so much as changed shirts since my jog a few hours ago, I was off to the races again. This time I decided to skip the extended warmup entirely, so less than three minutes from leaving the office (which couldn't have been more than eight minutes after my boss's text) I was literally back on track and ready for action.

And then, hell intervened again in the form of a field hockey game. I shit you not, less than thirty seconds after I stepped up to begin my first stride, two separate teams of girls (and their coaches, and parents, and big sisters and other extended family members) descended upon the track, tossing their luggage-sized backpacks here and there without a care, strewn haphazardly across lanes one and two like it was their own respective bedroom floors.

Needless to say, I gave up--for the time being. Discouraged, downtrodden, defeated in this battle, I vowed to come back and win the war at 6:30am the following morning before school work. Sure enough, come Wednesday morning those little delinquents were still tucked soundly in their beds and I had the entirely facility to myself. At long last, I win!

Oh yeah, and as for the workout itself, I nailed it. Trying to hit 10k pace and faster, solo, early in the morning isn't necessarily a recipe for success, but I got it done fairly comfortably. Perhaps I was fueled by yesterday's rage.  

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Workout Wednesday Triple

7am: 4 miles easy
12:30pm: 5 miles easy
5:30pm: 3 mile w/u + strides
Target: 10-12x400m w/90 secs. rest in 82-78
Actual: 80, 80, 81, 80, 80, 80, 79, 78, 77, 77, 76, 75
1 mile c/d
Total: 7 miles
Daily total: 16 miles

The idea to triple first entered my admittedly demented brain when Katie, my new-ish coworker, asked on Tuesday afternoon if I would be up for a jog at lunch the following day. We've been working like crazy with presentations, order deadlines and a million other things, so getting out for a few easy miles sounded like a great idea. With a shape-cutting workout already planned for later in the evening, I knew I'd be doubling, but despite the intensity of 400-meter repeats the reality is it just doesn't add up to that many miles unless you egregiously pad the warmup and cooldown. So, why not knock out an easy run in the morning as well? That way I could enter the workout with near double-digits on my legs for the day but without feeling overly fatigued or having to cooldown for an hour on tired legs. Brilliant!

My decision was validated in no small part by the fact that the weather was absolutely gorgeous. After several days of hot, humid and muggy air, the morning dawned cool and crispy and sunny and breezy--like fall! I coasted easily through my first two runs with the 400s in the back of my head. Jordan was out of town for work, which meant I would be hitting the track for the first time in months and no queenmaker to boot. I wasn't exactly looking forward to it.

In the end, however, it went fine. Pretty great, actually. I felt strong, relaxed and comfortable throughout and recovered quickly between each interval. My form felt strong and powerful as opposed to weak and strained, and my body settled naturally into a familiar 80-second tempo despite having not approached that speed in quite some time. I don't plan to triple often, but I think it made perfect sense today and I'm happy with the result.

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