Training 11/9/11 3200m Time Trial on the Track

Sleep 10p-4:45a Up late catching up with my cousin before leaving town.  Again woke up w/out alarm.  Moderate energy.
Food: Leftover smothered in cheddar cheese chicken breast & green beans from last night's Amish-style dinner. Handful of walnuts, latte & coffe w/lots of water.  Last ate around 11:30am.
Drove from Canton, OH home to Asheville from 5:30a-1:45p.  Went with Corey to track @ 2:30.

Hoka, tired on the drive home.

Kendall Hills in Cuyahoga Valley National Park

Training: 3200m time trial.  

Something I would never do on my own unless told.  11.5 years ago the 3200m was my thing although I never enjoyed as much as the mile. Today I set the goal of trying to run 95s/400m or 6:20 pace per mile.   This would have put me about 20s faster than what I averaged for 3k @ the OPTathlon a month ago.  (12:14 for the last event of the day there.)  I was even hopeful that I'd run negative splits the 2nd half if feeling good.  Well, no "feeling good" on the track just yet for this girl.  All in time.  

My warm up consisted of foot drills & a few sprint drills at the gym while waiting for Corey to drive to the track.  One there the rest of the warm up involved a walk down from the car & about a 1:30 round trip jaunt to the toilet.  (I was at least well hydrated after my trip.)   


Even after a long absence from the rack my body knows what a certain pace feels like although I'll tell you that the first lap I was thinking, "I think this feels appropriate, but I hope this is a bit fast, as this doesn't feel manageable for 8 laps."  I wasn't being negative, but real.  I was accurate on both accounts.  Here are the splits: 

1. 1:34.7
2. 1:38.2
3. 1:39.4
4. 1:42.0  (6:34.4)
5. 1:42.3
6. 1:44.4
7. 1:44.9
8. 1:37.6 (13:23.5)

The old me would have been pissed to not be able to keep with my "game plan", but thankfully for the sake of my sanity & my relationships I don't walk around hating myself after the fact.  Rather I know what I can do differently with just lifestyle alone to have a better showing next time & training is only going to get better from here.   


Main limiters were breathing & inability to maintain cadence throughout.  


Two pics from Kendall Hills are from yesterday's last hike with Mom in Ohio.  I have been to this park many times, but this was the first time I walked (well, I ran a few hills for fun).  We raced here in high school on what is one of the hardest CC courses in Ohio & in college we would come here for training runs and sometimes long runs on Sundays.  Good times!