Patriot Games

Happy Independence Day.
While I'm no stranger to running on a holiday I think this was only my second ever repeat workout on a track on a holiday,I'm no stranger to racing on July 4th,a few 15ks out at Downingtown and a 5k over at Haddon Heights....back in the day.
I'd be lying if I said I didn't enter this morning's 4x1 mile repeats w/out a sense of trepidation,the last time I attempted back to back repeats on a holiday weekend was Memorial Day of last year and after a solid set of 5x1,000m on the Saturday:3.06.9.-3.03.7.-3.04.9.-3.06.6.-3.00.0. I returned two days later to run my 4x1 mile repeats in:5.07.1.-5.06.7.-5.27.3.-5.11.4. which frankly look brisk compared to what I'm running them in now but at the time were below the level I was used to and frankly the last thing I needed b4 jetting off to Sacramento and Worlds was a bad set of repeats.

Conditions were warm when I arrived at Temple just after 10am,judging from the fair size crowd on hand getting their exercise in this morning alot of peeps looked to be hoping to put an edge on their cookout appetite for this afternoon,hey if that's what it takes to get you on a track who am I to sit in judgement??
Mile warm up b4 switching into my racing flats and showtime:

#1 mile 1.18-1.21-1.20-1.15-5.14.4. Colour me surprised!!! My only concern w/ such a brisk by recent standards beginning was the last time I kicked off w/ a 5.13.7. mile the arse fell out of the remaining three repeats(this was pre blood work and low ferritin level)none the less,I hoped I hadn't shot my load so to speak.
#2 mile 1.21-1.22-1.21-1.16-5.20.0. I could've been forgiven for not expecting such consistency after the grind of Saturday's 3x2 mile repeats,little by little I feel I'm getting there,I may not be at my Awesome Possum best at Nationals but my sights are a little further down the road right now and this is the platform to getting there.
#3 mile 1.20-1.23-1.21-1.18-5.22.4. I kept waiting for the other shoe to drop but here I was still putting together decently consistent laps,granted I'm a long way from 5th Avenue Mile speed but w/ 12 weeks till then I can expect to keep chipping away at these times.
#4 mile 1.21.-1.25-1.25-1.18-5.27.6. I knew the proverbial cheque was in the mail re 1.25 splits coming the fact I held them at bay until the 14th and 15th quarters is a credit to me and the fact I was able to close off a 1.18 is a feather in my cap.

So no disastrous final repeat pre Worlds.....yea!!!!! and a confidence booster on several levels,granted I won't be doing much in the way of 2 repeats in 3 days upon my return from the west coast but post workout I realized at Nationals I will need to race twice w/ in three days so maybe my final set of repeats pre Berea should be 3x2miles on a Thursday and 5x1,000m on a Saturday......something to ponder over a Hot Dog and a Hamburger later this afternoon........