Saturday, July 10, 2010

Crap at the Track

Okay you East coasters and Midwesterners  in the middle of a heat wave, don’t kill me. I have to admit that this week I’ve been spoiled by very cool running temperatures. My long run on Sunday was 50 degrees and overcast. For all of the complaining I did about feeling exhausted on runs, this cool wave has restored my confidence. Trust me. The heat f&%!#s with you more than you know. Cut yourself some slack.

Week two of marathon training and I’m feeling strong. I am only running four times per week. One long, one tempo or speed/interval, one mid-week longer run, and one short recovery run. Of all the runs I still find speed to test me the most. This week’s was the following (not many intervals due to it being the start of the training cycle):

2 warm up miles
2 x 1600 with 800 recovery jogs
2 miles cool down

The end result was:

Mile 1: 9:03
Mile 2: 9:07
Mile 3: 7:09
Mile 4: 7:11
Mile 5: 9:41
Mile 6: 8:38

I went to the local middle school track. You might recall that last summer while running at this track I had a bathroom emergency and ended up dropping some friends off in the cluster of pine trees by the track. This is the one and only spot within miles to squat. It was a lifesaver. Even if it is my son’s school, I feel I can defile it if I wish. What’s worse? A bit of waste in the trees or messy pants? No one likes a mom with messy pants. Especially a 12 year old.

On Tuesday my stomach was cramping even before the intervals began. I feared the worst, but knew I had those trees to fall back on if needed. While I’m doing some warm up laps, guess who shows up? Mr. City Worker Spraying for Mosquitoes. And guess where he’s spraying? Around the track. In the pine trees. In my outside bathroom.

I panicked. How the hell was I supposed to have a bathroom emergency with Mr. City worker around? I eyed him throughout the whole run, navigating how I could crap if need be. When he left towards the end of my workout I breathed a sigh of relief. I didn’t end up having to use the trees, but it was nice to know I could if need be. Kind of like how when you’re on an airplane and the captain turns off the seatbelt sign. Even if you don’t have to at that moment, you like to always have the option.

Here’s the thing. In the midst of my second 1600 I found myself thinking how the hell do people run entire races at a 7 or sub 7 pace? It took every ounce of energy I had to just do it twice. I continue to bow down to you speedsters.

Don’t forget my Scape Giveaway!

23 comments:

  1. Great job. You'll get to run races at sub 7, just give yourself time:) And yes, I am jealous of your cool temps!

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  2. That's a good point Pam. And it sheds a lot of light on Beth's question. I too used to feel that way about 10 minute miles, then 9, then 8. Hopefully some day, but I'm not counting on it, I'll feel that way about 7 minute miles. It's all in the perspective and in your practice. Keep going and you'll inevitably get faster.

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  3. 7 min/mile pace? That's how I feel about 9 min/mile pace. Do I have to lose weight before I can fly in my running shoes? Enjoy your cool temperature for me. It's nasty out there.

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  4. You can run a race at a 7 or sub 7...it's just conditioning and hard work...but totally possible!!

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  5. cool waves always do that to me too. i always get a refreshing boost in cooler weather. send some my way as i am a new englander in that heat wave? haha

    and you are wicked fast. awesome :)

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  6. I agree...totally within your reach girlfriend!

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  7. You just ran two 7's! I know you can transfer that to the race circuit.

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  8. YOU are a speedster as far as I am concerned! Have a great time on your trip next week!!

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  9. 1600's are my hardest track workout . . . I have to psych myself up for days to tackle them. Nice job!

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  10. HAHA!!! Your poo story made me laugh! I am super jealous of the 50 degree training weather, too!!! I can't even get myself to a track for intervals, I just do pace runs and tempo runs for speed. Good for you!

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  11. Excellent speed work - glad you didn't have to mess your pants. :-)

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  12. I so agree about the heat and humidity - it really takes a lot out of you. It is so much better to be running in slightly cooler temp's. This morning before I did my 8 miles (I was suppose to do 10 - but just didn't have it today) I checked the temp - 75 with a humidity on 89% - I was like - you have GOT to be kidding. I probably shouldn't have checked because I had it in the back of my mind that I was going to have problems - and I missed 2 miles - but I made it up on the bike - I did 35 miles and will move the 25 to Sunday.

    Way to go on the 7min pace - yikes - that is speedy.

    Have a great weekend.

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  13. Ha ha. I can just imagine you giving that council worker the evil eye and sending very strongly worded psychic messages to leave.

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  14. I hate that helpless feeling when there is NOWHERE to go to the washroom.

    Awesome work at the track!

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  15. Damn. 7 min/mile pace. That's how I feel about a 9min/mile pace!

    And I am SO JEALOUS of 50deg days!!

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  16. Great workout!
    I always wonder how people hold speedy paces during my speed workouts. I keep telling myself someday I'll get there. Just gotta keep workin' hard :)

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  17. We can talk about running weather in early January...

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  18. Speed is all relative. I look back at my training calendars from 30 years ago and see that I ran 25x 400 meters in 72 seconds (yes 4:48 mile pace) with little rest... and then I think, how the F*** could anyone DO that?!

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  19. poop stories make me laugh.

    you make me laugh.

    && i love reading about your runs....

    glad you made it through your workout!

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  20. great track workout. I run my 400's in 83 seconds (which is almost a sprint for me) and I wonder how a marathon can be run at that pace.

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  21. Nice job with your workout! I'm glad you didn't have to use the pine trees! :)

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  22. Nice arm flab with the strange grandpa pic chick

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