I’m contemplating running the Santa Monica 5K on Sunday, but I haven’t raced since the 2008 Olympic Trials, so I’m of course a bit hesitant. I decided that I wouldn’t be embarrassed as long as I ran under 18 minutes. I would feel like I’m in OK shape if I can do that. I haven’t been doing any speedwork – just running with Geena Gall for 4-6 miles at a time, as fast as 6:30 per mile and as slow as maybe 7:30’s. Sometimes we run a hilly route. So, I’m not out of shape but that doesn’t mean I’m in great shape. So many layers to the onion.

If I do race on Sunday, I don’t want to go into it blind, so I went to the track today alone, which I actually enjoyed. I have many memories of agonizing track workouts alone, whether I was in high school doing an evening track workout after soccer practice was over or a professional sometimes training alone, when my schedule didn’t coincide with the Nebraska women’s schedule. It’s hard to stay motivated when no one is out there, not even your coach. There’s no accountability, so it’s easy to let up sooner than you should.

Today, I didn’t want accountability, I just wanted freedom. The freedom to be alone, have plenty of time and to pick the distance and the pace I was comfortable with. Thanks to my mother-in-law being in town, I had a productive work day and could get away for a run without rushing home or being stressed. Ahhh, family.

I decided I’d do a 400 at sub-18:00 5K pace and see how it felt. And then do more according to how the first one felt. So I was shooting for an 87-second 400m. I came around at 86.7 – yes, I’ve always been great at pacing – and realized I was fine. So I thought I’d keep going another lap. I came around at 2:54 – an 87 and change – and realized I was still very in control, so I did one more, to total 1200 in 4:21 (an average of 87 a lap).

Not bad! It’s possible I could do a 5K at that pace, but you never know until you do it. I rested for 2 1/2 minutes and did an 800m, intended to run the same pace. I thought the 800m would feel a bit harder, having just done 1200m of work after not being on the track more than 3 times since July 3, 2008. But I felt pretty good and decided to run 85’s for a 2:50. Still felt pretty in control.

I took a 2 minute break and decided I wanted to do one more repeat – a 400 in 75 seconds. 75 seconds is 5-minute mile pace. I would be really happy if I could finish this workout with a 75. I took off with Eminem in my ear – ”when you feel weak, you gotta search within you, and get that motivation to not give up and not be a quitter, no matter how much you just wanna fall flat on your back” – I felt myself rolling pretty good and pulled on the reins a little bit so I wouldn’t run out of gas before the 200. I checked my watch at the 200 and it said “35.” Whoa, maybe I could break 70! When was the last time I did that? I miss being fast.

I fought my limbs as they started to try to flail and make me look like Phoebe running on Friends:

Down the homestretch I hear 50 Cent – “now don’t think I won’t hit you ’cause I’m populaaaar” – be tough, come on! Hold it together! I hit the line, pushed the stop button and leaned over, hands on my knees, gasping for air. Checked the watch – 1:08! My finishing speed is not dead and gone!

So to summarize:

2.5 mile warmup run to the track

1200m in 4:21

2 1/2 minute rest

800m in 2:50

2 minute rest

400m in 68 seconds

2.5 mile cooldown home

Total : 6.5 miles

Now to put this in perspective, I once did this workout:

2 mile warmup

1600m in 4:55

800m jog

1200m in 3:36

600m jog

800m in 2:21

400m jog

400m in 65

200m jog

200m in 31

2 mile cooldown

….but hey, baby steps.

View Original Post at annandjason.com

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