Get Rhythm

In contrast to last Thursday I snapped out of bed quite easily this morning, checked the weather, and was battling the cold wind by 5:15. I had mentally planned today’s run to include a mix of tempo and track efforts. So far I’ve been to Temple twice in the past two weeks, feeling out their track, waiting until my legs felt supple enough for a test drive. Today they did. Here’s how it panned out:

• 1.5 mile warmup @ 8:00/mile
• 1 mile surge, 6:18 – This put me on the track, took a 400 m rest.
• 4 x 800 with 400 m active rests
• 2:58 – surprisingly strong
• 2:58 – nice consistency, but this is too hard for me today. Left knee tender.
• 3:14 – after contemplating calling it quits due to fear of irritating left knee and upset stomach (2^nd time this week!) I decide to continue at a lighter effort
• 3:02 – bringing it back closer to 1 and 2, feeling better after an easier third repeat. I’ll admit I opened up in the last 50 yards. Felt nice, likely sub-5 pace.
• .5 mile rest, brings me back to the street
• 1.25 mile surge, 8:10. This is easy since I’m going mostly downhill.
• 1.75 mile warmdown @ 8:20/mile. Legs tired. Knee pain fading.

In retrospect, if I’d eased up a bit during the first few track repeats, I might have maintained a steadier pace. I’m not discouraged in the least however as this was the first track workout since…October? Really? Wow. This was a successful return. I’ll be back next Thursday with my new ipod shuffle. Valentine’s Day rules. All together, 9 miles in 1:05:38. Average HR 163. Max 186. Looking forward to an easy day tomorrow.

[2 x 30 pushups, 2 x 30 situps, 2 x 15 lateral leg lifts, 2 x 15 “donkey kicks,” 2 x 15 standing piriformis lifts, various stretches]