Back on Track

Around June of last year the runs started crossing over the 4 runs a week threshold. Knowing myself and my attention deficit disorder tendencies I was looking for another 'thing' to add to my routine if I was ever going to stick with running almost every day. I already did City Sports on Wednesdays and long runs or races on the weekends. What I needed was a group that hit the track every week and Tuesday seemed like the best day. Luckily, there was not one, but two groups that met on Tuesday in the greater Baltimore metropolitan area. The first was up at Goucher and the other, at the time, used the Hopkins/Loyola shared track on 33rd across from where Memorial Stadium used to be. Naturally the location in the city was going to be the only one I could reach in time. Sorry TWSS friends, the truth is I landed with you all purely for the sake of convinence. But i'm glad I did...

Showing up was brutal, I have to admit. I was overweight, out of 'shape,' and it was hot. I was struggling to keep up just for the warm up. I left after the workout the first couple of weeks and went directly to the supermarket and bought copious amounts of fruit and vegetables. I had trouble just walking and overslept in the mornings. City Sports Wednesday went from the hard run of the week to a recover jog. But it was necessary to get back in shape. I made it a requirement to go every week. Beyond a week in June when I was travelling and another in August where I had a planned 'down week,' I was a regular through late fall. After a while I was able to finish workouts and didn't need to supermarket binge. And I think the results are starting to show the work i've been doing.

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This week's workout was pretty simple--a set of 5 800's flanked by sets of 3 x 400. Having a pretty easy weekend I was super fresh and the times show it. All the 800s were under 3, including the 5th at 2:55 where fearless leader Ryan sent the others of my group early and I had to chase them down. I needed that because the times started at 2:57 and were heading south to 3:00 by the 4th interval. The 400 were unintentionally a progression with the first over 90, down to 79 on the very last one, where I again chased the others in my group.

Total workout miles - 4 -- total time 23:30 -- Average page 5:52/mile.