Track Party – The One That Sucked aka “a Learning Experience”

Time travel back to Track Party Tuesday.  Since I’m still so new to this whole “real” running thing (aka training plans, and workouts other than casual strolls down the beach path) we had a 3200m (2 mile) time trial on the schedule.

A time trial is good to use as a basis for future speed workouts and paces and such.

And testing your puke threshold.  Trying to make you cry.  Et cetera.

So it didn’t go great.  SHOCKER, “I <3 THE TRACK!!!!!!!!!!” only lasted two weeks.  My legs weren’t fresh (damn you, sexy yoga teacher and your level 2 class the night before) and I had some wicked stomach cramps I’ve NEVER had to deal with.  All y’all with sensitive stomachs?  God bless you.  Running in that pain f’ing sucks.

Anyways, my team of kidnapped running guru consultants told me I could run the 3200m in 13:00-:30 (6:30-:45/mi).  Rookie blue here still has no concept for speed/distance so I was just all, ‘alright then, if you say so!’

And then I didn’t. 13:40.

I know 10 seconds isn’t a big deal, and it’s still a pretty awesome time for me, but it was my first time missing a “goal” on the track.  Probably because all other “goals” were just random times based off nothing, since a 4-hour marathon isn’t a very accurate measuring tool for this kind of stuff.  Regardless.

So weekly Track Party with Coach Margot will continue, but I’ve had my little reality check.  The fear of mid-distance speedwork has been effectively instilled unto me.  Also, the kidnapped gurus know what I’m made of now.  Not fooling them anymore – time to get to work.

Sarah OUaL

* FTR/those playing along at home – 2 mi warm up and 1 mi cool down ~9:00/mi.  5 mi total