Not Too Shabby If I Say So Myself

After a seven week absence from the oval{ the track not the Surrey cricket ground!!!}it was back to the wonderful world of interval and track repeats.
For me indoor season kicks off in just over three weeks time at the Armory on Dec 26th in what will probably be the 1,500m followed closely 10 days later w/ the mile when the Thursday Nite At The Races series kicks off also at the Armory so it was always my intention to return to the track on the weekends to get some speed under me.

Today's form of torture.....I'm sorry bill o fare was the always fun 5x1,000m I figure it serves a couple of purposes,gets me ready for the 3,000m and maybe 5,000m if my schedule allows it but also helps w/ the 1,500m/mile so it felt like the ideal repeat to kick off the preparation for the upcoming 2012 indoor season.
Given my seven week hiatus from repeats on top of the fact that pre and Post Worlds and Nationals almost all my repeats were either 3x2 miles or 4x1 mile mixing it up w/ a return to an old staple was a good way to reintroduce myself the fray.

Couldn't have asked for better conditions,I didn't check the official temperature b4 I left home around 10am but the sun was shining brightly enough to warrant shades which is always good even if only from a psychological standpoint and after shedding my hooded sweatshirt and warm up bottoms post mile warm up I then ditched my fleece after repeat #1 to conclude proceedings in a long sleeved running shirt{w/ sleeves rolled up of course!!} and three quarter length bottoms,it remains to be seen if I get that lucky the next two weekends.

The target was 5x1,000m in 3.15 and under,given I was averaging 1.20 per lap during my 3x2milers I felt 1.20,1.20,35 was a reasonable target and expectation........

#1 1,000m 1.14-1.17-37-3.08.3.Woah! wasn't expecting an opening lap of 74,YES I know I need to run much faster in the 1,500m and mile but after being away from this particular repeat since March 26th b4 switching up to 8x1,000m I was mildly taken aback.

#2 1,000m 1.15-1.21-35-3.11.7. Another brisk opening lap,but clearly work to be done over the coming weeks and months on that 1.21......perhaps the memo to my brain and legs that this was a 1,000m repeat not a 2 mile repeats had gotten misplaced???

#3 1,000m 1.14-1.21-35-3.10.6. More of the same,coming off the first turn and down the straight two words leapt to the forefront of my brain.....lactic acid followed by two more in double quick time oh shit!!!!
Granted my second lap was becoming a concern but I could not have predicted or expected opening laps of 1.14,1.15,1.14 and I was still after all sub 3.15......

#4 1,000m 1.16-1.22-36-3.14.5.Ah that time honoured Grand Piano falling out of the sky on the second to last repeat and that oh so pleasant hands on knees while bent over in two at the finish line sensation......how I'd forgotten you!!!!

#5 1,000m 1.15-1.21-35-3.11.2. Good to see the white flag didn't go up and that while I'm somewhat rusty on leg turnover and knee lift the brain knew to respond to the "no damn it I said faster" battle cry!

All in all a good start to my return to repeats,granted there's work to be done over the coming weeks and months but for someone who thought 3.15 was a legit target time these weren't bad numbers to post,that said when I next revisit this repeat I'll look to run 3.10's.
Not a bad week,35 miles and more importantly back on the track.
PS for the record on March 26th I went:3.05.2.-3.11.7.-3.13.9-3.15.4-3.12.5.