Day 2: Speed Work

Well, hmm.  Tonight's run was sort of a disaster, but not too bad.  There is no track anywhere around this gawd-forsaken fish town, making it incredibly difficult to know how far is exactly 400 meters, nor is there much of anything flat either.  This is setting up so nicely already, right?! As such, I found the flattest stretch of road I could and drove around with my GPS & a can of spray paint, making inconspicuous marks every 1/4 mile.  Of course, the blasted can of paint clogged up on me about halfway thru, and I had to play MacGyver w/ a paper clip and unclog it, ending up with paint all over my hands and mouth (don't ask).

Moving on...  I was supposed to do 3 miles worth of speed intervals with 1/4 mile "rest" jogs in between (yes, that is indeed sarcasm you detect with my quotation marks).  You can break the 3 miles into 6 reps of 1/2 mile sprints, 4 reps of 3/4 mile sprints, 3 reps of 1 mile sprints, or what they call a track ladder of 1/4, 1/2, 3/4, 3/4, 1/2, 1/4.  Today, I opted for 6 reps of 1/2-milers.  My first three reps went very well, and I even maintained a pace that would have come out to just a little over an 8 min mile - even though I did have to walk about half of the 1/4 mile "recovery jogs."  It was a little bit of a mind fizzuck not being at a track where I can see exactly how far I have left.  But, just one or two more sessions of speed work, and I will be so intimately familiar with every pothole, mailbox and roadkill stain that I will be able to gauge the distance just the same.  I coaxed myself with the assurance of this.

Then, Murphy's Law took over.  It got dark enough to where I couldn't see my marks anymore.  Apparently, I made them a little too inconspicuous.  The spray paint and I will be making another round tomorrow.  I may even invest in some of that neon, glow-in-the-dark paint.  Once I realized I'd long passed my mark, I decided to just run home as fast as I could and that would make it about even.  On my way home, I was nearly malled by a deer, choked by the smell of a rotting dumpster, attacked by bugs, chased by a dog, and every shadow in the road became the apparition of a snake.  This run could not have ended quickly enough.

I certainly hope Katy's 2nd Day went better than mine! http://katysfirstmarathon.blogspot.com/

I love you, Aunt Jean!!  This is all for you!  My training battle will never compare to the chemo and radiation you have endured, but having you there at the finish line to celebrate will be a sweet victory for us both!!

Miles Today: 3
Miles This Week: 7
Total Training Miles: 7