Not even a middling mile
Actually it was 1600 meters.
Okay it's been a strange couple weeks here, trying to get into a rhythm after a somewhat promising Chena River Run and a hard effort on the Murphy Dome run, which took a full two weeks of recovery. Only this week have I started to feel decent again.
As of last week I had planned to do 5000 or 3000 meters on Thursday to kick off the all comer's series, but decided early this week I wasn't up for it. However, after a 6 miler with the FAST kids, including half way up Ester Dome and 3 days of hill runs in a row, I thought what the heck and decided to do a mile.
The turn out for these meets is always iffy, with anywhere between 6 and 15 runners, but this was one where nobody came. Almost. Only one other runner, local masters Dave Leonard, even showed up. We were going to run some 300s and 400s instead, when at the last minute Jim Loftus showed with a stop watch and starters pistol. If not a race, a time trial/workout.
With no speedwork at all, everything has been hills at 5K or 10K pace and/or threshold, I figured this would be tough. And even though the pace was slow, almost a personal worst.
First 200 (37) was too fast which set me up for a tough go of it. 1:16, 2:36, 3:56, 5:16.
I felt okay through 500 meters, tried to maintain the effort on the 2nd lap and was surprised to hear the split (too slow) and actually tried to pick it up on the successive laps. Obviously that didn't happen.
Here's the challenge: break 5 minutes at the Flint Hills Mile in a month. I've been trying to break 5 after turning 50 (5:00.8 in 2008 and 2009; injured in 2010 after doing a 3000 on the track and a few days later some 300 repeats), and actually haven't done it since a 4:54 at age 48. Running under 5 is a long shot this year, and not a primary goal. But it's a worthy standard.
To get there I need to do the following:
*Get new track shoes (mine are 12 years old)--used racing flats yesterday.
*Do mile paced training at least 1X per week. These are light but intense workouts, e.g., 4 X 400, or 5 X 300, or 2 X 800.
*Stay healthy (do workouts on turf, not track) and come into the race rested.
Okay it's been a strange couple weeks here, trying to get into a rhythm after a somewhat promising Chena River Run and a hard effort on the Murphy Dome run, which took a full two weeks of recovery. Only this week have I started to feel decent again.
As of last week I had planned to do 5000 or 3000 meters on Thursday to kick off the all comer's series, but decided early this week I wasn't up for it. However, after a 6 miler with the FAST kids, including half way up Ester Dome and 3 days of hill runs in a row, I thought what the heck and decided to do a mile.
The turn out for these meets is always iffy, with anywhere between 6 and 15 runners, but this was one where nobody came. Almost. Only one other runner, local masters Dave Leonard, even showed up. We were going to run some 300s and 400s instead, when at the last minute Jim Loftus showed with a stop watch and starters pistol. If not a race, a time trial/workout.
With no speedwork at all, everything has been hills at 5K or 10K pace and/or threshold, I figured this would be tough. And even though the pace was slow, almost a personal worst.
First 200 (37) was too fast which set me up for a tough go of it. 1:16, 2:36, 3:56, 5:16.
I felt okay through 500 meters, tried to maintain the effort on the 2nd lap and was surprised to hear the split (too slow) and actually tried to pick it up on the successive laps. Obviously that didn't happen.
Here's the challenge: break 5 minutes at the Flint Hills Mile in a month. I've been trying to break 5 after turning 50 (5:00.8 in 2008 and 2009; injured in 2010 after doing a 3000 on the track and a few days later some 300 repeats), and actually haven't done it since a 4:54 at age 48. Running under 5 is a long shot this year, and not a primary goal. But it's a worthy standard.
To get there I need to do the following:
*Get new track shoes (mine are 12 years old)--used racing flats yesterday.
*Do mile paced training at least 1X per week. These are light but intense workouts, e.g., 4 X 400, or 5 X 300, or 2 X 800.
*Stay healthy (do workouts on turf, not track) and come into the race rested.
posted by Roger at
1:29 PM
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