Run Between The Raindrops

I'd known since midweek that the weekend was going to be blighted by rain but I was determined to get both my repeat and long run in to complete a third 40 mile week in a row so when I awoke at 7.45 am Saturday morning to rain on the bedroom window it came as neither a surprise nor deterant,god damn it I was getting my 5x1,000m repeats in even if I had to get soaked in the process!!
Following my pre run Saturday ritual,a cup of Rosey Lee and two episodes of "Eastenders" it was  time to consult the wardrobe as to which running attire/rain gear would suit me best,even though it's a little on the big and cumbersome side my trusty Royal Mail waterproof jacket was going to be my best bet for keeping the rain to a minimum,you know what they say " you can't make omelets w/out breaking eggs" and you can't run in the rain w/out getting wet,all I could do was try and play the hand I was being dealt and make the best of it.

Arriving at trusty if not sodden Temple track at 10.25am I was delighted to see I would at least have the track to myself.....only the hell bent or deranged would be out in conditions like this, a couple of sprinters were using the outer lanes of the home straight while  a group of young Marines were being put through their paces on the outer lanes of the back straight.....everyone had the bit of the track they needed as for once I'd have the inside lane to myself for a workout.
Following my 6 lap warm up it was into my racing flats and into 1,000m mode.

#1 1,000m
1.17-1.22-39=3.18.5
Since I resumed the 5x1,000m repeats in August I've set a bench mark of 1.20-1.20-40=3.20 to shoot for,this was pretty darn close

#2 1,000m
1.21-1.26-39=3.26.2
Second lap got away from me but otherwise all things considered I was pleased considering the rain.

#3 1,000m
1.21-1.24-39=3.24.9
A modicum of satisfaction shaving 2 seconds off of #2,at least I wasn't "mailing it in" as I hydroplaned around the track

#4 1,000m
1.23-1.28-42=3.33.5
Fatigue set in but w/ only 1 set left I felt I could dredge up 1 final 1,000m

#5 1,000m
1.23-1.28-38=3.29.4
There's something comforting about that final repeat irrigardless of distance,knowing you can throw everything you have left at it and be done for the day.

Clearly there was no point comparing this to my previous set of 5x1,000m repeats from Feb 1st when the bottom turn was still covered in snow making the 200m-300m/600m-700m section a crap shoot so I have to go all the way back to October 12th for my next to last 1,000s and on that day I went:
3.19.1-3.20.7-3.24.3-3.33.9-3.29.2 which means I was 5 seconds slower today,considering the 24 week gap between the repeats and the rain I can't be too upset,hopefully in two weeks time when I revisit the 5x1,000s it won't be raining!!!!