Fast Running, 400m at a time

It was another picture perfect running morning today, temps in the mid-40's during the workout, crisp and clear. While I was waiting to start the warmup run to AHS, I saw Richard strolling up. It seems he was looking for his last Words of Running Wisdom from Gilbert, always a good thing. I wished him luck at NYC, and the rest of us sauntered off to the track for the 400Fest. It was the usual comfortable jog over there, with Amy and Jennifer. Enough to warm up and to loosen up my hamstrings, and not much else. I was pretty stiff this morning, due to the back-to-back Circuit workout on Monday and the 7 miler/gym workout yesterday. Some gentle stretching and the warmup and drills worked out most of it, so I felt ready to go as Gilbert gathered us up.

My group was the second one called to the start line, and we had Charlene, Jennifer, Rich, and a new girl or two. We were assigned to do between 10 and 15 x 400m, trying for something around 1:42 for an average, with 1:00 rest between. I figured we'd try to hit between 1:40 and 1:45 for the first 5 repeats, and then dial in the pace for the remainder of the morning. I planned on doing all 15 repeats, since I had done 12 the last time this workout rolled around. Some of the other folks had not done so many the last time, or had not done 400's before with Gazelles, so they would choose other final numbers. We'd see.

Off we went. This morning, we could actually see our watches, so it was easy work to stay on pace. I took turns leading the first 4 or 5 laps with one of the newer peeps, and finally ended up leading most of the rest of them. We got into a pretty good groove, and did a good job of keeping the laps within a second or two of 1:40 as the laps rolled on. At 10 repeats, only Rich and I decided to continue. Everyone else had had enough. Rich said he'd do 11 or 12, and I told him if he was going to do 11, he ought to do 12 for an even number. Off we went into the last 5 repeats. I finally started sounding like I was working hard on about lap 12, and Rich laughed that he was glad to hear those noises coming from me. Before that, he wasn't sure I was even breathing. :-) We paced each other around, and on the 15th lap, pushed a little on the last corner for a nice finish. Excellent set of repeats, and my overall pace was a click faster than the last time I did this workout.

Splits: 1:43, 1:42, 1:39, 1:40, 1:41, 1:39, 1:42, 1:41, 1:39, 1:39, 1:39, 1:40, 1:37, 1:38, 1:34. Overall lap average 1:40, average mile pace 6:40/mile. Fast stuff...

Gilbert was happy with our times, and after a cup or two of Powerade, we were back on the trail to RunTex. Amy had done circuit training today, and had waited for us, which was nice. The three of us had a nice chatty run back to RunTex, and that was it for the day. Mileage 7.43 for the day, with lots of fast 400's in the middle of it all.

We stood around and laughed a while with Gilbert and Deb, especially when Deb and Amy realized that they had been members of competing women's adventure race teams in the summer who wore the same costumes (Wonder Woman). Even after all this time, they didn't realize it because without the costumes, they're totally different people obviously. Talked with Sean a while, too, who had had another nice run this morning with Frank and Anne.

It was a great day, that's for sure. Just fun to be out in the nice morning weather.

After coming home and getting cleaned up, I went back down south for my weekly massage tuneup with Ron. This time, he found lots of really sore spots in my hamstrings, which is unusual for me. It was pretty brutal work getting all that stuff worked out, but I know I'll feel a lot better by Friday.

Tomorrow is an easy hour run and leg work at the gym. Yee haw! The long run on Saturday is on the new Freescale course, which will be cool. I drove the new middle section of the course today, just for fun, and it'll be interesting to have that new cross-town route on North Loop. A couple of significant uphill bits between miles 16 and 18, with downhill running between.