It All Begins Here.

Just like last season the Philadelphia Distance Track Classic at Germantown Friends was my season opening meet of the outdoor season,however unlike last season today I would compete in the mile and not the 4x400m relay.
I awoke to the sound of rain at 7.30am oh well,I've trained in the rain for days like these,I've always said unless you train and prepare in all conditions how will you know how to race in them?
I was fortunate that the mens mile was the first event at 11am,I had time to do a mile warm w/ one of my good friends from Central Park Track Club Tom Fitzpatrick b4 getting out of my warm ups and into my race gear at the last possible minute,it was cold,windy and raining,damn right I wanted to stay warm and dry.
My directive from "Dib" was be aggressive from the gun,today presented a chance to see what I could do off a fast opening lap,"go out in 65 and shoot for 2.12 at the half"was the game plan.
Remembering my vow to have a better reaction to the gun I reacted first and not only held my postion on the rail but went into the turn in the lead.
I came through the first lap in a staggering 60 seconds,"Dib" said be aggressive,I don,t think he meant be this aggressive!!!,for all intense and purposes the race was won as would be reflected in my 7 seven second cushion over second at the finish.
2.08 at 800m,a 68 second split,a little uneven prehaps but it was important to get a feel for a fast pace and seeing how well or how badly I'd hold upto it,form wise I felt I was doing well.
3.19 at the bell, a 71 second lap,at this point the cold the wind and the rain were no longer a concern,w/ hindsight I wish I had dredged down deeper over the final lap,I feel there was another gear to go to but between the conditions,my opening lap of 60 seconds and the fact this was me against the clock I was content to close in 73 seconds to finish in 4.32.08. not far off of the 4.31.83. I closed the outdoor track season in August under much more favourable conditions.
Did I want a faster time?yeah but I'll take this my 10th fastest ever mile under the conditions,I have the whole summer to get faster,fine tune my training and hopefully race in better weather,next stop Penn Relays in two weeks time.